Meet Me on the Midway
by missmargo
Summary: He's a Rodeo Cowboy, and she is a local girl. Can they fall in love at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth? Bella and Edward meet in Calgary Alberta during the Calgary Stampede...This ten-day rodeo becomes the backdrop for their love story. This Story is an Alternate Universe/All Human story.
1. Chapter 1

Meet Me on the Midway

There was nothing quite like the party that would soon unfold in front of twenty-three year old Isabella Swan. She knew it too; every year for ten – well technically eleven days - Bella's world would become something else entirely. The city felt more alive, more vibrant, and much friendlier during those days than it would for the rest of the year. The growing metropolis in the Canadian prairies had evolved over the last hundred years. It started as a small stop on the railroad to the coast, then became a farming and ranching hub of the west, and then it turned into the center of the oil industry for the entire nation. Calgary was the fastest growing city in the country, and it was constantly changing. One thing that never changed was that for eleven days in July, residents and visitors would pay homage to the culture that helped build the city they affectionately called Cow Town. During that time, one could not enter Calgary Alberta without being caught up in the festivities of the Calgary Stampede. Bella Swan would not have it any other way.

Growing up in Calgary, Bella had seen many Calgary Stampedes. This one would be different. Not only would it be the centennial celebration of "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", but something told her that this year would be special for her as well. It would be her first solo Stampede. This alone would change the dynamic of the adventure, but she could not shake the feeling that the Centennial was not the only thing that would be special this year.

"I can't believe you are not coming home this year; it's the Stampede!" Bella said to her mother Renee over the phone during her lunch break. "Who is going to eat greasy midway food with me? They are deep-frying Kool-aid this year!"

"Bella, you act like you don't have friends," Renee said with a sigh.

"I don't, or at least not ones that are as excited as I am to go Stampeding. I work for a company based out of Vancouver, and most of the staff there only moved here within the last six months. They don't get it." She glanced around to make sure none of her coworkers were nearby. Generally she liked the people she worked with, but none had shown even a fraction of the excitement that Bella had for the upcoming festivities.

"Phil and I are busy travelling Florida. We are planning to get back up there sometime in August to visit. Without your mom tagging around maybe you'll finally find yourself a rodeo cowboy to settle down with."

"I think you are delusional. I do not need a cowboy; I need a partner in crime willing to ride stupid midway rides, eat greasy deep fried food, and watch endless rodeos and chuckwagon races with me. I have no one to do that. In fact, two different people at work actually asked me what the big deal was. They compared the Stampede to a county fair." Bella began to pack up her lunch, and head back toward her office to finish the day of work.

"I think you are being a bit over-dramatic Bella Swan." There was a twinge of laughter in her voice.

"It's your fault you know. You bought me my first pair of cowboy boots; you instilled this deep love of all things Calgary Stampede in me. You have no one to blame but yourself because you are abandoning me this year."

"I'm such a terrible mother aren't I?"

"Yes, you definitely are." As she said it, Bella reached her office, and set down her lunch. "I've got to go though; it's time to get back to actually working."

"And I will sit on a Florida beach, and contemplate how I can make it up to you."

"You can't, because this will be the first Stampede you've missed in my entire life. I might never forgive you."

"Yeah right," Renee replied with a laugh.

"Fine," Bella relented. "Talk to you in a few days?"

"Yes, I'll call you before the Stampede starts. I expect regular updates. I love you Bella. It'll be alright; you will have an amazing Stampede, even without me there."

"I love you too. You better be right."

She pressed the end call button on her phone, and sat herself down at her desk. The last several months had been rough, and Bella had been looking forward more than ever to her favourite time of year. It was supposed to be a chance to forget the disastrous months she had just experienced. When Renee had told her that she and Phil would be staying in Florida it felt like a punch in the stomach. She would never tell her mom that of course; she did not want her to run home and save her. Phil and Renee had recently married. The last thing she needed to do was tear her mom away from her new husband to come fix her lost daughter again.

Bella tried not to think about the last six months; whenever she did, it brought nothing but tears, and bad memories. It would often ruin her whole day. Unfortunately though, she could not help but relive it all whenever it entered her thoughts. Up until the end of last year she had been teaching at a local private school. She loved her job, and she was a great at it. It was her first full contract as a teacher. Things felt like they were finally coming together. She had even met someone that she really liked; he was the divorced father of one of her students. He was older, but Bella often felt older than she was. They shared an interesting parent-teacher interview, and she began seeing him. It was important to keep it quiet from the school, and his daughter. He had always acted as if he was protecting his little girl in case things went sour, but in December, Bella realised he was in fact protecting himself.

He was definitely divorced from the mother of his children; Bella knew this because it was in his daughter's student file. He was not divorced from his second wife though. When his current wife looked through his text message records she confronted her husband. He told his wife that Bella had been coming on to him since the parent-teacher interviews, and that she was threatening to fail his daughter if he did not respond. The couple contacted administration, and the school took the side of the couple – which was not at all surprising since they donated to the academy at the same time.

Bella lost her temporary contract without any references, and she was afraid to look for teaching jobs anywhere in the city for fear that the truth would come out.

Early in the New Year, things got worse. Bella found out she was pregnant. Twenty-three, pregnant, alone, and unemployed; it was essentially hitting rock bottom for Bella. Renee came home in February, after Bella finally told her everything. Her mom helped her get herself back on her feet. Finding a job was not hard; she had two university degrees after all. She did not hate her work at the office, but it was not what she had seen herself doing with her life. Things seemed to be getting better over the next two months, and Renee went back on the road with Phil.

It all came to a crashing halt in April. Bella had just moved into an apartment near her new office; it would be much easier than the forty-five minute train ride she was currently taking. It was an abnormally warm day for April, and the elevator was out for maintenance. Bella decided that the twelve flights of stairs would be good for her. At floor six the sweltering hot stairwell got the best of her. She still could not remember it, but she passed out from the heat, and fell down two flights of stairs.

No one knew how long she had been unconscious in the stairwell when a tenant from the tenth floor found her. It was long enough though, because when she awoke at the hospital she found out that she had lost the baby. She kept telling herself that it was for the best; that she had never wanted a baby in the first place. After a few days, she finally called Renee to tell her what had happened. Within six hours, her mother, and her father Charlie, were at her side. Her father, a police officer in Washington, stayed for two weeks. Renee remained in Calgary for a month. While they were there she felt better. She had support, and protection, but she knew they could not stay forever.

Bella put on a brave face, and worked hard to show everyone that she was fine. No one would be allowed to see how broken she was on the inside. She went to work, came home afterward, and then watched endless episodes of mediocre television, or read silently on her couch. Her life was boring, but she was able to portray normality. People slowly stopped asking her how she was doing. June had brought the familiar excitement that summer always brought and when the brochure highlighting all the events of the Calgary Stampede arrived at her apartment, she felt excited for the first time in months. The Stampede was like a tiny ray of sunshine in her life, and for in what seemed like forever, she finally felt like smiling again.

Knowing that her mother would not be there for the Stampede this year brought a dark cloud to her tiny ray of sunshine. It would not be the same without Renee. However, it was still the Stampede, her favourite time of year. As she sat her desk that afternoon, she decided to make the most of it. This would be her chance to get out of the rut that was her life. It would be a catapult of sorts; it would get her up and out of this hole, and back on track to the happiness she craved. Nothing that had happened to her in the last six months had really been her fault, and she was ready to get something good out of life.

Bella came out of her thoughts when her co-worker Angela appeared at her office door. "Am I interrupting anything?" she asked cautiously. She could see how deep in thought Bella was.

"Nothing of major importance; what's up?" Bella replied, putting on her best fake smile – something she had perfected over the last several months.

"Ben and I were thinking of going down to your Stampede next Thursday for the sneak-a-peak night. I convinced Jessica, Mike, Lauren, and Tyler to come. I was just wondering if you wanted to join us. I'm sure you have a routine for Stampede; I know it is a big deal to you, but we would be happy to have you along. We were going to go down see what all the fuss is about, and then later go down to a bar called Ranch Lands for some drinks."

"Do you mean Ranchman's?" Bella asked.

"That sounds right; is it down south somewhere?"

"Yep, it's the city's big country bar; a big hit during Stampede." Bella had not been there in years, but she had some good memories from there.

"Ben mentioned that. I think that's why he wanted to go on Thursday; to avoid the weekend crowds."

"Good call, and count me in. I just found out my family isn't coming up this year, so I really haven't made much as far as plans yet." She smiled again. This time it felt a little less forced. Her plan already was in motion; she was going to go to sneak-a-peak and then go out with coworkers. In her eyes, it would be the start of the new improved life of Bella Swan. She could do it; she was sure of it.

Bella finished the day in autopilot mode. It was one of her favourite things about her job; on the days when she did not want to think about work she did not have to. However, even in autopilot mode she could be productive. It felt like her life was on autopilot for the last little while; autopilot was easy. The step after autopilot might be difficult.

"They finally finished that huge office tower they were building last summer," Alice Whitlock said as she leaned out the window over her sleeping husband Jasper, to get a better look. He woke up. For a split second he wondered why his wife had practically climbed across his lap, but then he saw the outline of the city in front of the truck.

"Yeah, it was just a half-built mess of cranes last year when we were here." Edward Cullen, Alice's brother commented without taking his eyes off the road as he drove his favorite pick-up towards Calgary Alberta. It was a trip he had made several times over the course of his life. The beautifully located city was nestled at the foothills of the great Rocky Mountains; the scenery was gorgeous. He always made sure to drive the last part of the trip so that he did not take a nap and miss it. He loved coming up from Montana, and seeing how the prairies seemed to transform into the mountains to the right of the highway. It felt almost like coming home. "Can you sit down Alice? I am trying to see my mirrors, but your ass is in the way. I'd much rather get us there alive. You can look at the tower through the windshield."

"It's covered in bug spatter. It looks much better without smeared unidentifiable bugs in my field of vision." She brushed her brother off as she sat back down and buckled up.

"That one there isn't unidentifiable. It looks like it was a mosquito; it left blood spatter," Jasper commented as he pointed to a particularly unpleasant red splatter on the glass.

"Gross; must you?" Alice replied.

"I'm pretty sure you are the only country girl I've ever met who say gross that much." Edward loved teasing his sister. She really did not fit the usual country girl persona.

"Just because I ride horses doesn't mean I like bugs, or their guts." Before Edward could answer, there was a honk beside them and Emmett, their older brother, drove by in their motor home. He taunted his siblings, while his wife Rosalie waved sweetly. Rosalie had been practically a member of the family since birth. She and Alice had learned how to ride together under Carlisle's teaching, and since about age twelve, the beautiful blonde had been in love with Emmett. He was sixteen at the time, and showed no interest in a twelve-year-old who had yet to develop. Rosalie was persistent, and always insisted that one day she and Emmett would be married. She turned sixteen, and he finally began to notice her. They officially began dating when she was eighteen. It would have been sooner had Emmett not been afraid her father would shoot him if he tried anything before her eighteen birthday. Two years later, they were married.

"You realise they are passing you in a motor home; you drive like an old man." Jasper glared at his brother-in-law as he spoke.

"Tell that to your wife. It is her horse that we are towing, and that thing is a little hellion. I do not want it coming off that trailer in another one of her moods. I don't need bruised ribs before I even get into the chutes." Edward glanced into the rear-view mirror at the horse trailer behind them. Alice's temperamental horse would be fine. He would not jeopardize that just to beat Emmett into the city.

"You deserved those bruised ribs in Vegas; you drove like a madman and scared my poor girl."

"I lost the National Finals with those bruised ribs. I am not repeating that here."

"Oh Edward, don't be delusional; you would have lost the Nationals anyway. You aren't that good." Jasper never let him live it down that although Edward had failed to place in last year's finals, Jasper had taken top spot in his event. It was no shock, because Jasper was top of his game in the saddle bronc riding. He came in second at the Stampede the year before, but had been riding marvellously ever since. Edward was generally grateful that he did not compete in the same event as his brother-in-law. He doubted he could ever have anywhere near the skill and rhythm that Jasper had when he was competing.

Edward was making his first Stampede appearance as a competitor. He had been there many times before when members of his family were competing, but this would be his first appearance. He was determined not to make it his last one. He loved the rodeo circuit no matter where they went, but the Stampede was one of his yearly favorites. His father competed at the Stampede when he was very young, and he had seen pictures from his mother's days of barrel racing in Calgary. Edward was still in grade school when his brother competed in first Stampede. Emmett placed fourth in the Junior Steer Riding at age fourteen. Eventually, Emmett outgrew his riding days. Soon after, Edward watched him compete in the Steer Wrestling. The man's six-foot-four frame was perfect for it. Edward was also there to see Rosalie compete in the barrel racing, and he had attended his little sister's first Stampede the year before when she also competed in the barrel racing. This year, there were four of them competing; his brother, Jasper, Alice, and himself. Rosalie had won the previous year, and by rights would have been riding this year, but she was expecting her and Emmett's first child. Needless to say, she would be sitting this one out.

Also attending were his parents, Carlisle and Esme, who met for the first time at the Calgary Stampede thirty years earlier. For them, this particular stop on the rodeo tour was very special. Edward always wondered if that is what made it special for the entire family; it had all started in Calgary after all. For some reason though, he felt like there was something else that drew him to this city. So in July of every year he made sure to return with hope that someday he might figure out what made Calgary so special.

This year would be a special one.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone, If you made it this far, you hopefully liked my first chapter. Thanks for that! I wanted to make a quick note that this story is re-posted from my account on twilighted, so I likely will not have a lot of author's notes as the chapters continue. I hope you enjoy the story...which is very close to my heart because I am a Calgary girl! I love my city, and I love the Calgary Stampede. Please take the time to review and tell me what you think!

Thanks,

Margo!

Chapter 2 –

Edward pulled the truck in behind the Stampede Grandstand where all the horses and stock were held for the event. It was mostly empty at this point; there were still several days until the rodeo events started, and they were some of the earliest competitors to arrive.

He tossed Alice his keys, which had the key to the horse trailer on them. "Help me with Zhara?" she asked sweetly.

"Nope, you can get that monster out yourself. She and I, are not friends."

"Stop threatening to send her to the glue factory, and she might like you more." Her voice oozed a false sweetness.

"If she stops giving me bruises I might stop threatening her. Get that husband of yours to help." He grinned at Jasper, who looked just about as excited as Edward to be dealing with the beast. For some reason, the beautiful Quarter horse did not respond to anyone except Alice. The thing had thrown both Esme, and Rosalie, before Alice decided that she would take her on. Even Carlisle, who was known for his ability to work with difficult horses, had trouble with Zhara. After about five minutes with Alice though, it was clear who that horse belonged to.

Emmett appeared as his little sister reached the back of the trailer, and quickly hurried by. "I hate that horse," he said with a grin to Edward.

"I think the feeling is mutual," Edward replied. They watched Rosalie also pass the trailer and give Zhara her space. "She's a beautiful thing, but too bad she has the temperament of a wet cat."

"You two better not be talking about me," Rosalie commented as she reached her husband's side. "If you know what is good for you." Emmett kissed the top of her head, and whispered something for only Rose to hear.

Edward hurried off to help Carlisle unload Emmett's horse, Ranger. "Good drive?" Edward asked his father.

"Yeah, we got in last night. It looked like we were going to get a prairie storm, but it went just south of the city. We've checked in for all the rooms at the hotel, and you can move all your stuff in whenever you'd like. I meant to ask though, are you going to stay in the motor home? Last we spoke you hadn't decided."

"I think I'll stay in the hotel. We can use the motor home during the day if anyone needs a breather, a nap, or something. I'd rather be able to leave the grounds for the night. It'll be pretty loud here until late; at least at the hotel if I want to go to bed early then I can," Edward replied. He had considered the idea, but he wanted to be able to stay focussed on the competition. If he stayed up for all hours of the night having fun, then he would not be ready for the next day's events.

"You know Edward, it's just another rodeo; you seem to be making a big deal of this one," Esme said as she came up behind her youngest son.

"I know it's just another rodeo, but at the same time, it's the Calgary Stampede. That makes it different. I want to be able to compete here again, and since it's by invite only, I'd like to make a good impression so that I get invited back here next year."

"I have never met anyone who does the job that you do, and is as serious as you are. You climb on top of an animal that wants nothing more than to knock you right off; you would think that you'd be a little less uptight," Carlisle added.

"Uptight? Thanks dad." He chuckled a little. "I know what you mean, but it's a big deal for me to be here. No matter how casually I try to act, the Calgary Stampede is special. I remember being about five years old watching you from that infield; thinking that what you did was the coolest thing in the world. I was so proud of you. I'm sure I told anyone who would listen, that my dad was out competing, and that you were going to win. That was when I decided that someday I would do exactly what you do." He took a quick look around at the field that held so many of his greatest memories. "I remember the first time Emmett rode here; it's not very often that in the junior ages you get tens of thousands of people watching you, but in Calgary, you do. I wanted that to be me. I said that someday it would be me, and now it's that someday. So call me uptight, but I want this bad; I've wanted this for twenty years."

He glanced over at his siblings. They continued to get everything unloaded and ready to go. "It was hard being the only Cullen that hadn't competed here. When Alice was selected last year, I think I was jealous of my little sister for the first time in my entire life. I had to force myself to enjoy the rodeo because I wanted to be in it so bad, and I wasn't able to." He glanced at Alice as she spoke to her horse. "Don't tell Alice that. She deserved to be here; she's a phenomenal rider, and I don't want her feeling bad about it."

"We won't say anything," Esme quickly replied.

"I know." He took a deep breath. "So regardless of what it is that has made me this way, just let me be uptight for the next couple weeks. I want this bad, and I'm pretty sure one year is not going to be enough for me."

"Edward, you get better every time you ride those 8 seconds. If the National Finals were tomorrow, I have no doubt that you would be right up there on top. This won't be your last Calgary Stampede; I'm sure of it. I just want you to enjoy it. Who cares if you don't win? Enjoy the ride."

"You have to say things like that; you're my mother."

"That doesn't make it any less true," Carlisle added. "Now go help your brother get that pile of equipment organised. At this rate, he's going to end up with your rigging, and you'll end up with his saddle."

"That'll go over well," Edward replied, and headed over to help Emmett.

When everything was settled at the grounds, the family went to get situated in their hotel rooms. Edward lay across his bed, and he stared up at the ceiling. His mother's words, telling him to 'enjoy the ride', kept running through his head. He truly wished he could. He often envied Emmett's, and Alice's, carefree way of looking at the world. They always seemed to land on their feet, and nothing ever fazed them. When Emmett realized he was not going to be the right build for bull riding, he simply switched events. He took up the steer wrestling as if it was as easy as changing boots, and then never looked back. Edward never would have been able to do that. It was lucky that when he grew up, he was just the right build for his chosen event. If he had been too big, or not strong enough, he would never have gotten over it.

He wondered if his inability to be easygoing was ultimately the reason why he had never quite lived up to his own expectations. He trained longer, and harder, than anyone he knew. He made sure he was the first one down at the stables in the morning, and the last to go to sleep. When it came to his workout routines, he was extremely strict, constantly pushing harder, and rarely let himself be distracted. That was how he'd always been; he doubted he could change that, but it terrified him that it was possibly the thing holding him back. What if his core personality was actually the thing that prevented him from becoming the champion that he wanted to be?

Edward let out a big sigh and decided to push that thought from his mind. If it was true he couldn't change it, so he didn't want to dwell on it any longer. He flipped on the television, and settled in for an evening in his room. It was a Friday night and there probably were a ton of things he could be doing in the city, but on this night he did not feel like going out into the world. It would be business as usual in the days leading up to the start of the rodeo, and a night in fit into those plans perfectly.

Bella couldn't believe it; nothing fit! She had tons of western-style shirts that she took out every year for the Stampede, but this year they were clearly not the right size. She looked in the full length mirror at the one she was currently wearing. Since the pregnancy she had not quite gotten back the same body she had before it. Her waist was almost back to its previous size, but her breasts seemed to like their new size and refused to go back. She couldn't be entirely unhappy about that because the two cup sizes she had gained usually did fill out dresses and tops quite nicely, but in this case they were not working.

"I can't even button the last three buttons." She said to no one in particular – since she stood alone in her room. There was no way she could go out and splurge on a bunch of new shirts for a ten day event; she was on a budget that didn't allow it. She undid the bottom buttons, took off the top, and stared at herself in the mirror. She did have to admit her figure now was preferable to her previous one; being flat was never a desirable trait. Biting her lip she thought about her options.

Hurrying to her dresser she pulled out some plain tank tops and pulled one over her bra, then grabbed the western shirt again. With the tank tops underneath she could button the shirt up halfway, she'd still get the western theme and she wouldn't have to break the bank to do it. The office was allowing staff members to dress in Stampede wear for the course of the event, and Bella fully intended to participate. Her higher tank tops would be office appropriate, and she had a few lower cut ones for the grounds or a night out. The shirts were still not ideal because if one looked closely you could see the material straining just underneath her breasts, but it would have to do for this year. She made a mental note to budget for more shirts for the following Stampede.

She went back through the pile of shirts and tried each one on again. There were a few that she knew would not fit even without doing up the top buttons and decided to give them to Angela who had asked for some ideas for what to wear on Thursday's night out. Someone might as well get their use out of the shirts, and Bella was glad that it would be Angela. Of all the people she worked with, Angela was probably the closest to being an actual friend as opposed to just a co-worker. The two had done lunch a few times, and the conversation flowed smoothly. Bella was still somewhat weary to get close to anyone after what she'd been through, but Angela seemed safe.

It wasn't that she didn't like people, but she had never really been the social butterfly some girls – like her co-worker Jessica Stanley – were. When she was growing up she had always had a few close friends but not a huge group of girlfriends. Those she did have growing up all seemed to have drifted away over the years; Bella never fought too hard to keep those friendships alive anyway. She rarely saw anyone from her school days; especially now. She knew that deep down she was a bit of a loner, but that didn't bother her that much. At least it hadn't up until recently; over the last couple months she had wished that she did have some girlfriends that she could have vented to on occasion. She loved her mom, and Renee had been great through all her mishaps, but there are some things you just couldn't discuss with your mother, no matter how close you are, and friends would have come in handy for that.

She thought about Angela again; her co-worker had invited her out a few times before in the evenings or weekends, but Bella had always seemed to decline her invitations. She decided to make a point of doing the opposite. Even if she didn't feel like going places, Angela was being kind to invite her, and Bella didn't want to push her away.

The following morning, Bella pick up her phone and dialed Angela's number.

"Good Morning Bella." She answered after two rings.

"Good morning." Bella replied. "How are you?"

"Fine, just lazing around the apartment, what are you up to?"

"I was just going through all my Stampede shirts and I have a few that aren't going to fit me this year, and I thought I'd check to see if you were interested in any of them."

"Definitely, I am so excited to wear anything but business-wear at work next week." Her voice lit up as she spoke.

"You sure you don't want to at least see them first?" Bella laughed.

"Well I probably should, but only to double check that they fit; any excuse to wear jeans in the office sounds good to me." She replied. "What are you up to today? Ben went out of the city with the boys and the ATVs this morning, so I am free if you wanted to get together for lunch."

"Sounds good, and then we can pick out some tops for you."

"Excellent, how about we meet at Milestones around twelve thirty, then after lunch we can go to your apartment. Then depending on if you're up for it or not I was thinking of going down to that western wear store and picking out a pair of cowboy boots. The outfit won't be complete without them."

"Very true, but be careful wearing them down on the grounds. Boots take forever to properly break them in, especially if you're only wearing them for ten days at a time. I think it took me three Stampedes' before they stopped giving me blisters." Bella warned.

"Once again I shall have to suffer for fashion," Angela replied in an overly dramatic tone. "Anyway, see you in an hour and a half?"

"See you then." Bella hung up the phone and put it back into the cradle. It was hard to believe it, but she actually had plans. Unless Renee or Charlie were in town, she never had plans with anyone. Maybe this year's Stampede would be a good turning point for her. Perhaps she could finally escape the cloud she'd been living under for six months, and begin to get back to the Bella she had been before it all went downhill.

Bella went into the bathroom, and instantly decided she needed to change. At the moment she looked a little unkempt, and the restaurant would probably deny her entrance. She quickly got out of her yoga pants and sweat shirt and hopped into the shower. Afterward she pulled on a light cotton top and a pair of Capri pants. She'd be comfy, but she also wouldn't look homeless. Finally she blow-dried her hair and added a touch of eyeliner and mascara, and headed out of her apartment.

Milestones Restaurant was a short ten-minute walk from her apartment, and she arrived about fifteen minutes early and opted to wait in the bar for Angela. Silently she surveyed the different groups of people around the room. It wasn't very busy; there was a large group on one side of the room that seemed to be celebrating a birthday, and there were a few couples scattered about the room. She was the only person sitting at the bar. She ordered an iced tea so she'd have something to sip on and waited for Angela.

After about five minutes she had to go to the washroom but decided to wait just in case Angela arrived; by 12:35 she decided she couldn't wait any longer. She hurried down the corridor, and as she got close to the door to the women's washroom, she collided with a solid body coming out of the men's room.

"Sorry." She instinctively said and looked up to meet a gorgeous man with bronze hair, a perfect golden-brown tan, and a pair of eyes she could stare into for hours. But of course she was Bella Swan, and she looked away after only a second of eye contact.

"You don't need to apologize, I'm pretty sure I ran into you." He said with a hint of a southern accent.

"I'm Canadian, we apologize for everything." She grinned and continued on toward the washroom. "Have a good day."

She heard him chuckle behind her and she heard him say "You too" as the door to the ladies room closed.

When she came back out Angela had arrived. "Sorry I'm late Bella, I was just about to leave home when the phone rang; it was one of those telemarketers, they had a 'quick survey' for me. Needless to say I had to hang up on him ten minutes later. Were you waiting long?"

"No, only a couple minutes so I ran to the washroom." The two turned to the hostess who led them to their table.

Bella scanned the room quickly and could not spot the gorgeous bronze haired man; she also noted that the birthday party group seemed to have also left, so she assumed he had been with them. He had definitely been hot, and it was too bad she couldn't casually glance over at him during her meal.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 –

"You're right. These do hurt," Angela said. She was looking down at a gorgeous pair of black leather cowboy boots that were on her feet.

"They shouldn't actually hurt just by putting them on. The sizing might be off; maybe try a half size up," Bella offered. She jumped up and found her another pair. "They should be snug; difficult to get on but not so tight that they actually hurt." Bella grabbed the bottom of the boots Angela was wearing, tugged on them, and helped her get them off. When she put on the second pair, they went on a little smoother. "How are those ones?"

"These ones seem better. They are tight, but they don't hurt," Angela replied.

"They look great." A voice from behind Bella chimed in. She turned to see a young woman about their age grinning at the two of them. She had dark hair and eyes, and wore what looked like designer jeans created specifically to fit her body. "Are they your first pair?"

"Yeah, I've never worn them before, but decided that for my first stampede I should look the part," Angela replied with a smile. "But I'm debating between these and the brown ones. Brown seems like the classic look, and if I'm only going to have one pair maybe I should get them."

"Brown is the classic, but I like to think that's just because dirt is brown. Those look amazing on you, and I would not leave this store without those black boots." The dark haired woman seemed very sure of herself.

Angela bit her lip looking at both pairs; she still seemed conflicted.

"They really do look great, Angela. I'd go for the black," Bella said.

"Okay. You've convinced me. Now let's see if I can get them off by myself." She sat down on the bench and pulled both boots off. "I'm Angela by the way, and this is Bella."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Alice," She replied, and then began to help Bella get the assorted boots cleaned up.

"Oh you don't need to help. I've got this," Bella said. She was very surprised that this gorgeous designer cowgirl was willing to help, especially since she had not even made the mess.

"I know. I came in here looking for a stupid belt buckle for my husband, but looking at these boots is a lot more fun."

"They are so cute. I wish I had the budget to buy myself a new pair. I guess I'll have to rely on my old ones. I have to admit though, I do love my boots," Bella replied.

"There is nothing better than a pair that you've gotten perfectly broken in. New ones are pretty, but just remember how awful they are when they're new."

"So true. I was so happy when I finally got them molded to my feet. Now they are so comfy, but at first, ugh. Angela you are in for some sore feet."

Angela nodded in agreement. "They are so pretty though. I'd say it's worth it."

The three got the boots put away and then Alice began to look around. "If I was a belt buckle where would I be?" she said, scanning the room.

"Are you looking for the Centennial one?" asked Bella.

"Yes! That one. It's my husband's birthday today. We just came up from Texas for the Stampede and I still haven't gotten him a gift. It didn't make sense to order it when we were coming up here anyway."

"They've got them on display at the front by the checkout." Bella pointed to the till area.

"Excellent!" The three headed over with Angela's boots. She paid for her boots, and Alice bought her belt buckle. "Well it was great meeting you two. Enjoy your Stampede."

"You too," Bella and Angela replied at the same time.

Soon after, Bella and Angela both headed to Bella's place to try on shirts. After another hour of trying on clothes, Angela left with four new shirts, and Bella sat down to relax for the rest of the afternoon. She grabbed a book and sat out on her balcony to enjoy the nice summer weather. Hopefully the sun would hold out. The Stampede always had a history of bizarre weather. One year it would be stifling; so hot that you needed to cool off indoors constantly, and then the next it would be barely warm enough to go outside in the evenings, or it would pour down rain for hours.

Alice headed back to meet her family after stepping in quickly to a local drugstore, and buying a bag for the buckle. Everyone was at the hotel again. When she arrived at the room, Jasper was changing into his swimsuit. "We're all going down to the pool to relax for a bit. Want to join us?"

"Definitely," she replied, and quickly changed into a black bikini.

When the two arrived down at the pool, the rest of the group had arrived. Edward was the only one absent. "Where's my irritating brother?"

"I'm right here," Emmett said, grinning at his own joke.

"I didn't say my unbelievably annoying brother, I said the irritating one."

"He said he didn't feel like coming down. He wanted to go have a workout in the gym instead," replied Carlisle.

"What's up with him? Anyone know?" Emmett asked. "He's been acting weird."

"It's his first year competing in Calgary," Alice replied. She had picked up on Edward's slightly obsessive behaviour as of late. Everything he seemed to do was somehow related to attempting to do well for the Stampede. Alice was pretty good at picking up on people's moods and changes in behaviour. He was stressed and pretending not to be.

"Yeah, but he's been on the pro circuit for three years now," Emmett replied. "This one is essentially the same, it just pays more."

Alice knew what they were thinking, and thought it might be best to try to explain. "There is something about Calgary for Edward. I remember when he was really little. We would be playing around at home, and he always wanted to pretend he was here. He's built up Calgary in his mind as being this amazing life changing experience. For him, it isn't just like any other rodeo. He takes things far too serious sometimes and I'm afraid he's so worked up about it right now that it'll result in him doing badly here."

Everyone sat silently and thought for a minute. "He just needs to loosen up; sometimes I wonder if he even has fun competing anymore, or if he's so determined that it's just become a goal," Carlisle finally said.

"He's always been too serious about stuff. He needs to have fun once in a while. All the obsessive working out and practicing cannot be healthy. It's all he seems to do. He eats, sleeps, and prepares for competitions." Emmett sounded legitimately worried, and if Emmett was worried, there was a definite issue.

"It's been getting worse too. I've know you guys now for what six years?" Jasper asked and a few people nodded. "We used to always go out and have fun as a group. Edward came most of the time, but now he hardly does at all. I'm pretty sure the last time we went to the bar together was my bachelor party, and that was nine months ago."

Esme had stayed quiet for most of the conversation, but now that she could see the wheels in her children's' minds spinning, she decided to speak up. "Don't push him though. You can't force him to come out with you. He'll pull away even more, and we'll lose him for even the casual family outings. He's already been talking about moving just outside of Austin where he thinks he can do more intensive training. If you try to pull him away from his routine then he probably will leave."

Edward stood just around the corner from the pool his family was in, and he felt lower than dirt. He did not want everyone to worry about him. He thought he had been good about hiding it from them, but apparently they saw right through him. Alice especially. He sighed and realized he should have know he would not get anything passed her. Now he had to work even harder. His routine was probably not the healthiest thing, but he didn't know how to give it up and he didn't want to. He would also have to appease his family by acting more normal. He could do it. A few nights out here and there and they would stop worrying about him and he could stop feeling guilty that they were worrying about him.

It was Thursday afternoon, and Bella was getting ready to finish up work for the day. It was sneak-a-peak night and the group from work were heading down to Stampede Park in a few hours. She was dressed in one of her stampede outfits. She convinced her boss that although the official start was the next morning, the sneak-a-peak meant that Stampede dress was appropriate.

She filed a few client folders away and then sat down at her desk. There were a few projects she could start in order to make the last half hour go quicker, but she opted to wait, and start them the next morning. She was extremely excited to go out that night and whatever work she tried to do for afternoon would probably need to be fixed the next day anyway.

Angela appeared at her door. She was dressed in a blue plaid top she had gotten from Bella, a pair of jeans, and her new boots. "Hey Bella; what are you working on?" she asked as she came in, and sat down on the corner of the desk.

"Nothing, I'm done what needs to get done. Now I'm just killing time."

"Me too."

"How are the feet holding out?"

"They're alright. I've been wearing the boots at home for a few days. I put two pairs of socks on in an attempt to stretch them a bit, but by the end of the night I'm sure they'll be hurting."

"But they look amazing."

"That's true. I do love them," She said thoughtfully as she looked down at them. "Anyway, I thought I'd run the plan by you. We're going to take the train to the grounds and meet Jessica and them by the c-train entrance to the park. That way we don't have to pay for parking and we don't need a designated driver after the bar. The trains are going to run all night, correct?"

"Yep, the only time of year we have twenty-four hour train service is during Stampede," Bella said. "We won't even need to pay for a cab."

"Excellent," Angela replied just as their boss popped his head into the office. "I'll get them printed up and we can look at it tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Bella responded with a grin.

"I know you two aren't talking about work. Good try though." Their boss, Eric, laughed. "I was just popping in to say you guys can head out whenever you finish today's work. We're pretty slow right now so a half hour early won't hurt anyone."

"Thanks, Eric. See you tomorrow," Angel a said, grinning.

"Yeah, but remember, the parade is on tomorrow so don't bother coming in until after lunch. The parade will go until about eleven, and then everyone will need to get out of downtown. It'll be a mess."

"See you tomorrow afternoon then," Bella replied.

"Have a good night, ladies."

"We will," they said in unison.

The two grabbed their things from their offices and headed to the elevator where they met up with Jessica.

"Hey, ladies. I was just talking to Mike and we were thinking that since we're off early we should go to dinner together before going down to the grounds. It'll be nice to sit down for dinner and a few drinks before going out for the night."

"Ben and I are pretty excited about the food down on the grounds. If we go for dinner, then I won't be able to fit all the fair food and desserts," Angela replied. Jessica looked dejected.

"Just have an appetizer then. I'm not a big fan of deep fried food, and I'd like to have something that is somewhat healthy before going down there."

"No, that's alright. You guys go to dinner and we'll meet you at the grounds afterward."

"What about you, Bella?"

"I'm with Angela on this; I've been waiting all year for the greasy stampede food, so I'll pass on dinner."

"Alright then. Mike, Lauren, Tyler, and I will see you guys there." She turned and headed back toward her office.

"See you later," Angela called after her. Jessica waved back at them.

The two rode down to the bottom floor. They said goodbye before heading to their apartments to get ready for the evening. Bella hurried home and changed into a different top, and a pair of jean shorts. It was a warn day out, and it looked like it would stay that way all evening. She didn't want to spend the night sweating in her jeans.

Her phone rang at around five thirty. It was Renee. "Hey mom," Bella answered.

"Hey Bella, thought I'd check in before you head down for sneak-a-peak," Renee replied.

"You're regretting it a little aren't you?" Bella asked with a laugh. She knew the answer, but she wanted her mother to admit it.

"Maybe just a little. I do love the Stampede, but it is gorgeous down here. What about you? Do you have any big plans yet?"

"I'm going out with a few people from work tonight and then we're going down to Ranchman's for the rest of the evening. We don't have to go into work until tomorrow afternoon because of the parade, so we'll party tonight."

"Did you say Ranchman's? Is my Bella going out to a club? Wow, Stampede does bring out the best in you."

"Thanks, I think."

"I thought you said all the people you work with just 'didn't get it'."

"Well Angela has a boyfriend from Calgary, so he planned to go and then she seemed to get excited to go to her first Stampede. She convinced a bunch of other coworkers that we should make a night of it." Bella rambled. "Angela is pretty cool. We hung out on Saturday. We went for lunch, then she bought herself a gorgeous pair of boots for tonight, and then we came over to the apartment and I gave her a few of my tops. Oh, that reminds me, none of my Stampede shirts fit; none of them."

"Oh, those new boobs of yours are a little too big?"

"Don't make fun. I put them on and I couldn't button any of them up over my boobs."

"Just put on a tank top and wear it open. I thought you were proud of your new cleavage."

"That's what I did and yes I am proud of it." She glanced in the mirror. "It does look good if I do say so myself, but I was just so mad that I can't wear any of them like you are supposed to wear them."

"If I had known that I would have sent you a bunch of mine. I rarely wear anything but sleeveless tops down here since it's so hot. My button down shirts would probably fit you now."

"No big deal, I'll get new ones for next year. This year I'll just show off the twins," Bella joked.

"Well if you've got 'em flaunt 'em I always say," Renee replied. "Are you meeting your group at six?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting them when the gates open."

"Well I'll let you go then. I love you, and have a good stampede. Make sure to eat lots of greasy food for me. Maybe send me a bag of those mini doughnuts."

"That's gross. By the time they got to Florida they'd be hard as rock, or soggy."

"True. That's too bad. I guess I'll do without."

"Your loss. You chose not to come. Love you, mom. Talk to you soon."

"Love you too. Bye, sweetie."

"Bye." Bella hung up the phone and glanced at her watch. She had to hurry if she was going to get there for six.

When she arrived at the entrance, Angela and Ben were there. She had met Ben once when he came to lunch with Angela and her one day. He was nice and she could see what Angela saw in him. They were a really sweet couple. Angela wore her boots and a pink top with jean shorts. Bella silently wished her luck with the boots. Ben wore a pair of jeans and a plaid short sleeved top.

They waited for about fifteen minutes for the rest of the group. It was ten after six when they finally arrived. "Sorry we're late. The restaurant was really busy," Jessica said with a smile. She wore a pink sundress and a pair of flip-flops.

Lauren wore shorts and a tank top that did not leave much to the imagination. It definitely kept Tyler's attention on her. The guys were wearing board shorts and t-shirts. They looked like frat brothers who were going to the beach rather than the Stampede. It was odd seeing her coworkers outside of work. Usually they were all dressing in nice business casual wear and sitting behind a desk.

They each paid the eight dollars to get in and immediately went to the ride ticket booths. "Is everyone in for the rides?" Ben asked. Everyone agreed except Lauren, and Jessica.

"Baby, come on. I'll hold onto you if you're scared," Tyler said to Lauren, and she reluctantly agreed. She did, however, make a point to say that she was not going anywhere near any of the wet rides.

"You guys go ahead. I do not want to do the rides. This hair took way too long to do, and I do not want to go to the bar afterward looking like a mess," Jessica said firmly. It was clear no one was going to convince her otherwise.

"I guess you're my ride partner, Bella," Mike Newton said with a grin and put his arm around her.

"I guess so," she replied with a smile, but it fell as soon as she saw the look she was getting from Jessica. It was fairly common knowledge that Jessica was interested in Mike, and at that moment, Bella realized that she had just become competition. She would have to let Jessica know that she was not interested in Mike and that he was all hers.

The group headed toward the Midway in what hopefully would be the start of a fun night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 –

Edward could hear the faint sounds of the Midway getting louder as they approached the Stampede grounds. It was the sneak-a-peak night and Alice had convinced everyone that they should go and see the sights for the evening. It worked out that Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Edward were in the second pool of rodeo competitors and did not compete the next morning. They were able to go out and enjoy the first unofficial night of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Their turn to compete was during the second half of the week. They also planned to go to the parade the following morning after Alice insisted it was an important part of the festivities. They could not argue with her when she said that there was only a centennial celebration once.

They flashed their passes at the gate and walked in.

"Can we get some ride tickets?" Emmett said playfully.

"Emmett, you're twenty-eight." Edward began.

"Good point Edward. I don't need to ask anymore."

"That was not what I was going to say. I was going to say that you're twenty-eight and isn't that a little old for rides?"

"I know what you were going to say baby brother. I say you're wrong. I'm going to go on them, and you know what?" Edward glared at him. "You are coming too." He laughed and grabbed Edward by the arm to get to the ticket booth.

"No I'm not," Edward replied. "Didn't you hear that two years ago one of these rides broke? People went flying in all directions. I don't trust rides that were built in two days."

"You compete in the fucking rodeo and are afraid of the Ferris wheel? Grow a pair and let's go."

"Language Emmett," Esme scolded. They may be adults, but their mother still did not let them get away with swearing. She always reminded them that southern gentlemen did not use fowl language.

Rosalie put her hand on Edward's arm. "Please go with him Edward. I obviously can't this year. Think about it, if we don't let him get on the rides we will never hear the end of it. Also, if you don't, I will make you drive back to Texas with him." Edward jokingly shuttered at the prospect of hours on the road with just him and Emmett. Emmett just grinned.

"Jasper and I will come too." Alice said grabbing her husband's arm.

"Then you don't need me." Edward smiled victoriously.

"Of course we do, most rides sit two to a seat. Emmett needs a ride partner," Alice countered. Edward sighed and reluctantly admitted defeat. He was not about to go up against Alice and Rosalie. He would lose. They got themselves ride bracelets and bought a few tickets as well for the easy rides that Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie could do.

Emmett guided them over to one that had riders sit in a line, strap themselves in, and then flipped them upside down backwards and forwards. Collectively everyone groaned. Edward gave them a 'told-you-so' look. The rides did not bother him because he had been jolted around and flung into the air tons of times in competition. He just was not interested in riding them.

After riding a few wild rides they all went to the Ferris wheel and the whole family got on. The large circular seats would fit them all. The ride began to move up, and Edward looked out across the midway. It was a pretty sight. The lights and sounds of the rides and the games began to soften as they went up. He looked out over the grounds watching hundreds of people enjoying themselves as they went about their evening at the park. His family was having a conversation, but he tuned it out as he watched. It was a very calming feeling.

As they were coming back down, a practice round of fireworks went off. Sneak-a-peak was always the dress rehearsal night for the grandstand show. All seven sets of eyes looked east and watched. The park seemed to have gone all out for the centennial celebration this year. It wasn't dark out so they didn't get the full effect of the fireworks, but it was pretty to see.

"I can't wait to see them in the dark," Alice said as they came back down to the bottom of the wheel. She glanced down as they started their way around the bottom and caught sight of the people in the line-up. "Angela! Bella! Hey!" she called and waved.

Two women with dark hair quickly looked up, smiled and waved back. "Hey Alice!" They called.

"How are the boots?" Alice screamed back down, but the two girls couldn't seem to hear her as they began to rise.

"Who are they babe?" Jasper asked.

"I met them on Saturday when I was picking up your buckle. The one girl Angela was buying a new pair of boots. They were so nice. I almost bought myself a pair."

"I'm surprised you didn't," Emmett joked. "You have no self control when it comes to shopping."

"Your wife is just as bad and there are no complaints," Alice replied. She and Rosalie had been shopping partners probably as long as they had been riding together.

"She's right you know. You better behave Emmett Cullen or you might find yourself bunking with Edward tonight." His wife had a satisfied grin.

"Not happening. He can sleep in the hallway," Edward chimed in.

"I'll behave," Emmett said with a mischievous grin as he put his arm around his wife.

"Good choice," Rosalie replied as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Edward looked back down at the group Alice had been referring to. The one girl he had never seen before, but the second look vaguely familiar.

When the ride finished they all got off and Emmett dragged them to another ride that flipped and spun. This one got the best of Alice and she decided to sit the next one out. "I'm going to go get some lemonade. Anyone want anything?" She said to the group.

There were a few requests, which would be far too much for one person. "I'll come too," Carlisle said as he followed after his daughter.

When they reached the refreshments Alice saw Angela and Bella walking past them. "So how are those boots treating you?" she asked Angela after she'd caught their attention.

"They still look pretty," Angela replied weakly. "They hurt a lot." She quickly introduced everyone to Alice, and Alice introduced Carlisle to them as well.

"The rest of the family is over on some ride over there. The last one did me in. You see that one there that spins and flips you? Yeah, don't go on it." Alice pointed to one of the rides that they had yet to venture towards.

"Yeah, We'll stay clear of that one. It's been fairly hot all evening so we are going to attempt the log ride for a cool down," Bella said looking down the midway toward the water ride.

"We decided against that one. Both my brothers are in jeans and it would take them hours to dry off. Then it would get dark and then they'd spend the entire night complaining about being cold and wet."

"Compared to Texas I'm sure this place is mild."

"Yes, it's a little bit warmer at home right now." Carlisle replied.

"So do you come up for the Stampede each year?" Bella asked Carlisle.

"Not every year, but over the last few we've made the trip. It's one that you don't turn down when you're invited."

Bella nodded slowly taking in what the older man was saying; then it clicked. "Oh, you're competing. Not just up here for a vacation."

"Yes, we have a few rodeo-ers in the family." Alice replied.

"Including Alice here. She's barrel racing next week. Her brothers and her husband are also competing."

"Why didn't you say something Saturday?" Angela said sounding generally excited for her. "That's a big deal."

"It didn't come up," Alice replied.

Bella glanced to their left where Jessica was getting irritated and slowly backing away. She was clearly ready to head on to something else. "It looks like our group is leaving us," Bella commented. "We should probably move on."

"Yeah, us too. Sorry to hold you up. We need to get these refreshments back or one of my brothers will send a search party." Alice grinned.

"Well congrats on the invite and good luck. I'll make sure to do the rodeo for the second pool of competitors." Bella said.

"And Ben and I will definitely go as well." He nodded in agreement with his girlfriend.

"Thanks guys. See you around."

"For sure," Ben replied. "And if you guys are interested, we are heading down to Ranchman's later tonight for drinks and some dancing."

"Oh, sounds like fun! I'll run it by the rest when we get back. Bye guys." Alice and Carlisle turned away and Bella Angela and Ben hurried after their group.

They waited in line for the water ride for only a short while before they got to the front. Lauren had opted to skip this ride with Jessica because she – in her own words – didn't want to look like a drowned rat at the bar. Ben sat at the back, then Angela, Mike, Bella, and Tyler. The order was decided by the guys because there needed to be a girl in between each guy so that "no one's junk touched another guy's ass."

"So eloquently put Tyler." Bella replied. "But I swear if you duck too far and I get soaked I'll kill you."

They went up the first hill and then down the other side. Tyler got a bit wet because he was in the front, but overall the five were not badly splashed. The second hill however was a different story. As they began to go down, Tyler ducked underneath the front of the car. When the splash came over the top his back got soaked. Bella got drenched in the face. Her hair was dripping and her wet shirt clung to her equally wet skin.

They got out of their seats and Angela got a look at them all. "Oh, Bella!"

"Yeah, I'm drenched," Bella replied. I vote we get something to snack on and sit down somewhere in the sun for a while before we lose it. I need to dry off."

They headed out to meet with Lauren and Jessica. Jessica's mouth dropped open when she saw them. "Oh no! See Bella, this is exactly why I didn't want to do rides. Now how are you going to come out tonight? You're soaked."

"Yeah, your hair looks all stringy," Lauren commented.

"I'll dry off," She replied. "A few minutes in the sun and I'll be fine. Tyler is going to need to dry off his back as well. We can grab something to eat then go rest in the grass over there." She pointed to a small grassy area next to the midway.

"I'm really not hungry," Lauren said. Jessica nodded in agreement.

"I could go for some snacks; maybe an ice cream or mini doughnuts," Mike offered. Tyler agreed.

Lauren and Jessica, who refused to eat fatty carnival food, went to find a spot to sit in the grass, Tyler and Mike went looking for sweets. Bella, Angela, and Ben went to get some real food to hold them over.

Bella wandered over to a stand that was selling corn dogs and bought one with a large drink. She could still feel the wet fabric clinging to her, but she wasn't cold. There was still enough heat in the evening sunshine that she just felt comfortable. She grabbed her food and headed back to meet the group.

Her mind wandered as she was walking over and she realised that she was actually having fun. It was rare that she was able to just have a good time and not think about all her drama. Tonight though, even with Lauren and Jessica's not-so-subtle remarks, she was having a really great time.

Alice and Carlisle had caught up to their group soon after she left her new friends. They quickly drank their drinks down. Alice savoured her lemonade and drank it slow. As soon as it was gone, she was feeling a little better and ready to move on to something else. They did a few more lively rides and wandered around a little bit. The sun slowly began to go down, all the bright lights of the carnival games and midway rides became brighter, and they illuminated the shadows left behind from the setting sun.

To finish off the night, the group decided to do the Skyride. It was a gondola that spanned from one end of the midway to the other. Guests sat two to a seat. Edward cringed that he was about to become the single rider. Alice turned to her husband and quietly spoke so only he could hear. "Baby would you mind if I rode with Edward. I need to speak to my brother for a minute."

Jasper smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Guys I'm going to run to the washroom. I'll walk down the midway and meet you on the other end." He headed toward one of the washrooms.

"That means you get to ride with me," Alice said grinning at her older brother.

When they got to the front of the line, Edward and Alice watched as Carlisle and Esme, then Emmett and Rose got on. Then it was their turn.

"Spill it," Alice said as soon as their feet left the ground. "What's going on? How much did you hear at the pool last Saturday?"

"You don't miss a thing do you?" Edward shook his head. Shame on him for trying to get anything by Alice.

"Don't change the subject. No one else seems to have noticed, but all week you've been far too compliant. All of a sudden, you just decided not to opt out of having fun. Yet when we get places, your mind is elsewhere. This all conveniently started happening after the conversation at the pool. So spill."

"I heard it all. I don't want everyone to be worried about me all the time, so I'm trying to be a less uptight version of myself and appease everyone."

"You need to get laid. That's the problem you know."

Edward just laughed. "Oh is it?"

"Yep, too much pent up energy. If you'd use sex to get it out you'd be far more relaxed when it came to rodeo things. You never date. You live in the apartments above Mom and Dad's barn, so we know that you are not sleeping around with random women either. You're practically a monk and that cannot be good for certain parts of you."

"Please don't turn into my sex therapist. Our family is close enough to begin with. This is overstepping."

"I'm just saying that you're in a city that is full of young women ready to party and have a good time over the next few days. We're in a five start hotel, and you're a real cowboy. You should have no problem getting laid this week and aren't even trying. Take my advice, try."

"And then I'm probably just as likely to end up with an STI rather than a more relaxed take on life."

"Well don't pick a skanky one," Alice replied quickly.

"This conversation is over."

"Yeah but-"

"So how is Zhara? Is the diva all ready for next week? Has she gotten over her anger from the drive up here?" Edward knew his sister well. She could never resist talking about her beloved horse.

"Good change of subject. And yes, she is good and ready to run. She forgave me for locking her in that little trailer."

"That trailer is made for more than one horse. She had plenty of room."

"What can I say? She's high maintenance."

"Like her owner."

"Shut up." She paused. "Oh I thought I'd run it by you first. You know those girls I met last week boot shopping?"

Edward nodded.

"They are going out to Ranchman's tonight. Do you remember that country bar we went to when I was like nineteen?"

He nodded again.

"That where they are going tonight. They invited me to come out and meet them. I thought I'd check with you first. Tell me now if you don't want to go and I won't bring it up to everyone else. I don't want you to come just so that everyone thinks you are acting normal again."

"Is this where I am supposed to find myself some random girl to sleep with?"

"Preferably don't pick a girl. I don't think statutory rape is legal in this country either. A woman might be a better choice."

"You're terrible."

"But you love me." She smiled her most innocent looking grin.

"Usually we just tolerate you."

Her smile fell into a frown.

He laughed at her reaction. "But sure, let's go out to the country bar for the night. It's a Thursday so it shouldn't be too crazy on a week night."

The ride was coming to the end. They watched their family get off at their consecutive turns. As they began to go lower and get ready to step off Alice turned back to Edward. "I'm sure your skills are a little rusty, so if you need any help trying to convince someone to sleep with you, just ask." She jumped off of the ride before Edward could reply. Now that they were back with the family he let the comment go. It was bad enough he was discussing his lack of a sex life with his little sister. He did not want to open that can of worms with his brother and parents too.

The first evening on the grounds was coming to a close and Alice told everyone else about her invite to the bar. Carlisle and Esme declined immediately which was no surprise, and Rosalie did as well.

Emmett offered to stay in with his wife, but she told him it would be nice to get a few hours sleep without him snoring. He was ordered to go out with the rest of them. Jasper of course agreed because Alice had suggested it. They said goodnight to the other three, who headed for the hotel.

One of the easiest ways to get to the bar was on the C-train. As they got to the platform, Edward hurried down to try to catch the doors before they closed. He missed them and they ended up watching the train leave the station. They sat down and waited for the next one.

The doors on the train began to close right behind Bella and a split second later, a man ran and tried to catch them. She instinctively reached to try to hold them but they were already closed. She looked up to offer a silent apology and came face to face with a familiar pair of green eyes. The train began to move and the eyes disappeared again. She shook it off and sat down with the rest of her group.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 –

When the group arrived at the bar, Bella was happy to see that there was no line up for them to wait in. They hurried to the door and went inside. There turned out to be quite a crowd even though it was a Thursday night, but they were able to find a booth to sit in.

The guys went up to the bar and brought back a few pitchers of beer. They also brought two mixed drinks for Jessica and Lauren. Bella poured herself a glass and took a sip as she took in the atmosphere. It had been years since she had been down to Ranchman's. She had spent her eighteenth birthday at this bar with some of the girls from high school. It had been a blast, and she had a tinge of regret that she had not kept in touch with any of them. She and Renee had also come here once because her mother had the urge to learn to two-step. She laughed to herself at the disaster that had ensued. Her uncoordinated nature did not mix with dancing. About halfway through the lesson she sat out. She spent the rest of the evening watching her mother learn. Since then, she had been too busy with university, working part time, and then working full time, that she had not been back.

It was a great bar. It fit the country theme perfectly. There was wood all over and reminded Bella of a barn. There were saddles hanging all around the bar and dance floor. The beams above were covered with pictures of some well-known Albertan cowboys. Posters from past stampedes, and other Western events plastered the walls. The western spirit the city embraced during the Stampede was alive and well all year at Ranchman's.

Another great thing about the bar was that it truly was a country bar. She hated the loud bass of most clubs and bars. All of them playing the latest top 40 music, usually remixed badly, so that everyone could dance to it. Here it was all about the country music, which was her favourite.

"This is definitely the worst part about this Stampede thing," Jessica said, pulling Bella out of her thoughts.

"Going to the bar?" Angela inquired.

"No, I just hate all the country music."

Bella almost laughed aloud at the irony of it. "This is a country bar Jessica. They play country all year long. What were you expecting?"

"I don't know. but it would be nice to have something with a bass every once in a while. Maybe a song that didn't have a banjo."

Bella held in a laugh then choked on her beer. She covered her mouth so that she did not spit it across the table. "Sorry." She said, "It went down the wrong way. I'm going to run to the washroom." She got up and hurried toward the ladies room, where she finally let herself laugh. She and Jessica were never going to be close friends, but she liked Angela, so she would have to put up with her.

She took a quick look in the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair. It had dried by then, and thankfully, it had turned into a natural wave. Her makeup was practically gone. With a quick application of lip-gloss, however, she deemed herself acceptable. She headed back out to the bar area.

The washrooms were located next to the entrance, and when she came out she saw Alice. "Hey! Alice, you came."

"Yes. I love this place. We came here once when I was nineteen. It has not changed at all. I love it." As she finished her sentence, a tall blond man came up behind Alice and put his arm around her. "Bella, this is my husband, Jasper Whitlock."

"Nice to meet you Bella," he said with a gorgeous southern accent. "It's good to finally put a face to a name."

"Nice to meet you too," Bella replied.

"I'd introduce you to my two brothers, but I think they hit the bar already." Alice scanned the long bar at the back of the room. "Yep, you see the giant guy over there? That is Emmett. Edward is standing next to him I think. I will introduce you to them later. Are Angela and your friends here?"

"Yeah, they are over there in a booth." She pointed in the opposite direction from the bar. "Angela will be happy to see you. I think there is a table next to us that is free if you want to sit down. We can squeeze a few more in the booth too."

"Excellent! Let's go make friends Jasper." She pulled her husband along with her. Bella just laughed. Like Angela, she liked Alice. It was too bad that she lived thousands of kilometers away.

They arrived over at the table and Bella introduced everyone again. She offered Alice and Jasper each a glass of beer and then launched into a conversation about the upcoming rodeo events.

"Jasper, are you competing this week as well?" Angela asked.

"Yes ma'am, I compete in the saddle bronc riding," He replied. His accent was amazing and Bella had to force herself not to ask him to repeat his sentence just so she could hear it again.

"That's really cool. I'm so excited to go to the rodeo now." Angela turned to Ben. "We have tickets for next Friday right?"

"Yes. Will you two be competing that day?"

"Yeah, we're both in the second pool. We don't compete until day five," Alice replied.

"I don't mean to sound like an idiot, but since I'm from Vancouver I don't know a whole lot about rodeo," Angela began. "I know the whole eight second thing, but how does the competition work? Is it elimination throughout the week?"

"Not quite," Jasper replied. "The competitors for each event get divided into two pools of ten people each. Everyone in the first pool competes for the first four days, and the second pool from days five to eight. There are daily winners and then there are overall leaders for each pool. The top four from each pool advance to the Sunday final and the six that do not advance compete on Saturday for the wild card. On Sunday, everyone who makes it through starts with a clean slate and the best competitor of the day wins."

"How does scoring work for the riding events. Obviously the barrel racing is based on time, but for your event how do they score you?" Mike asked Jasper.

"You get scored based on how good the ride is. In the saddle bronc, you hold a braided rein, and as the horse jumps and kicks, you need to move your feet in rhythm with his movements. They score you on how well the horse jumps and how well you stay in rhythm. If you can stay on for eight seconds you get a score. Bareback is a little different. No saddle being the obvious difference. You hold onto a handhold that is right on the horse's back. Your feet need to go as far forward as possible then roll your spurs back to the rigging where your hand is. The higher you spur, the more points you get. It's generally considered the most physically demanding of the rodeo events, just because all the power of the horse is absorbed into that arm."

"I thought Bull riding was the hardest?" Tyler quickly cut in.

"It's considered the most dangerous of them all because, well, it's a bull, but they are all pretty hard," Alice replied.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that what you do isn't hard," Tyler quickly apologized to Jasper.

"Oh, no apology necessary. Bull riding tends to be the one that gets everyone's attention. In bull riding the main goal is simply to hold on. You don't need to try to spur like in bareback, but if you can, then you get scored even higher." Jasper paused. "Then there is barrel racing which is a timed event. Fastest to cross the line wins, and you need to try not to knock over the barrels."

"Can you touch them?" Ben asked.

"Yep, you don't get penalties unless they fall over," Alice replied. "Then you have the novice events which are essentially the same as the other riding ones, just much younger kids competing. Uh, the other two events are tie down roping, where the rider has to rope a calf, then get off his horse, and tie the rope around three of the calf's legs. Fastest time wins. Finally there is steer wrestling." She turned to Bella. "My giant of a brother does this one. You ride just as a steer runs out of the gates and have to reach down and start to slide off your horse. You grab his left horn and then wrap your elbow around the right horn. When you finally are off the horse, you use that positioning to roll the steer to the ground."

"So your brother jumps off horses onto an animal with horns and wrestles him to the ground?" Jessica asked in disbelief.

"Yep, but it's no crazier than hoping on the back of a bull." Alice replied with a grin. "Once you meet Emmett you'll understand. He was never meant to be sitting behind a desk."

"Anyway," Lauren started. "I want to dance. Tyler, come dance with me?" Bella glanced over at Lauren. She was unimpressed by the girl's rudeness.

"Sure," he replied. The two slid out of the booth and headed for the dance floor.

"Bella, would you like to dance?" Mike asked her.

"No thanks. I'm not the dancing type." She caught the glare she was getting from Jessica. "I'll bet Jessica is a great dancer though." She smiled at the other girl. She hoped that Jessica would catch on that she was not interested.

"I'm not bad," she replied smiling back. "Mike?" He nodded and followed her.

"Sorry about them," Ben apologized. "They're not really animal type people. I doubt they've ever been anywhere near a rodeo."

Alice just shrugged. "Don't feel bad. I'd probably be bored out of my mind if they went on about their jobs for any length of time," she added honestly.

"You would. I get bored doing the job. Talking about it would be excruciating," Bella replied. Angela laughed, and nodded in agreement. Soon, she and Ben joined the others on the dance floor.

Bella could not help but notice Alice kept glancing toward the floor as well. "If you two want to go dance I can watch the drinks and your things. I meant it when I said that I don't dance."

"We will eventually. Right now I'm just wondering where my brothers ended up. It does not take that long to get a couple beers."

As if on cue, the giant of a man was walking towards their table. "Alice, you disappeared. We couldn't find you guys," He called to them as he approached. "We gave up looking and decided we should do some shots."

"How many is some?" Jasper asked with a grin.

"I don't know. Edward, how many shots did we do?" He asked the man behind him.

Bella glanced at him, and was surprised to see a familiar face. "I think we paid for three each, but the bartender gave us more. She was nice." He stopped as he reached the table and spied Bella. "Hey it's you!" He said sounding as if he had done a few more than three shots. "You're the one who didn't hold the door on the train for me."

"Edward!" Alice yelled. "That's so rude!"

"No I think you are the one who didn't reach the door in time," Bella replied quickly. She was a little unsure of where that statement came from, but didn't regret saying it.

He seemed to think about it for a moment and then nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Emmett, he's practically drunk. What did you give him?" Alice turned to her oldest brother.

He put his hands up claiming innocence. "It's not my fault if my little brother thinks he can keep up to me. I've got five inches and a lot of pounds on him."

"I'm fine," Edward said to no one in particular. He turned to Bella. "I don't drink very often."

"No, doesn't look that way. Maybe you should stick to beer for the rest of the night." She held up a full glass of beer.

"Good call," He replied with a grin. He grabbed the beer, and sat down in the empty seat next to Bella. "You look familiar."

"Edward, you just said you saw her on the train," Jasper reminded him.

"No, I mean from somewhere else." He turned back to Bella. "Have we met before?"

"I think I ran right into you at Milestones on Saturday afternoon. I'm Bella, Bella Swan," she replied.

"Yeah that's right. You are the Canadian girl who apologizes too much."

Alice turned to them. "You were at the restaurant on Saturday? I guess I wouldn't have noticed since we hadn't actually met yet."

"I didn't recognise you either." Bella replied.

"No, you just recognised me," Edward said in a self-satisfied tone.

"Only because you almost ran the poor girl over," Emmett offered. Bella just laughed.

Edward made a mental note that he liked her laugh a lot. She intrigued him tonight - just as she had at the restaurant that afternoon. There was something about her. The way she sat, and did not seem to make eye contact suggested she was shy, but she had a sharp wit about her. Anyone who could keep up with his family when they were teasing deserved recognition.

After another minute, Alice and Jasper got up to dance. Edward looked at Bella. "You should dance with me," he stated.

"I don't dance. It would be safer if I simply remained in this seat," she replied quickly.

"Now that sounds like a challenge." Edward grinned. He stood up, and held out his hand for her to take.

"No, I'm not dancing. I really am that bad. I'm not kidding." She shook her head and had another sip of beer.

"Well, fortunately for you, I am that good." This time he did not wait for a response. He simply grabbed her by the wrist, and tugged her out of her seat. He then led her toward the dance floor. "Follow my lead and you'll be fine."

He was not entirely wrong. He was a great dancer, and Bella did not have any terrible missteps. She did step on his toes and instantly apologized, but that was the only issue. "Stop saying sorry! Besides, I am wearing cowboy boots. I barely felt it. Much bigger and heavier things have stepped on my feet before."

"Oh right, you all come from a big rodeo family. Alice never said, but I'm guessing you are also competing this week?" She asked.

"Yep, it's my first Stampede."

"But not your first rodeo?" She chuckled at her own joke, although she had to admit that it was not all that funny.

Edward grinned. "No, it is definitely not my first rodeo. Did she tell you what event I compete in?"

"No."

"Guess." He had a lopsided grin on his face as he said it. Bella almost forgot to breathe. He was gorgeous.

"Well, she specifically said Emmett is a steer wrestler, so I know it is not that one. You don't really have the build for that anyway."

"You mean I'm not built like a truck, like Emmett?" he asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, pretty much. However, you are in impeccable shape. That means it is definitely a physically demanding event. Not that any of them are easy. I doubt it is saddle bronc, because Jasper competes in that one, and he or Alice probably would have mentioned you also did."

"You are right, it is not saddle bronc."

"I want to say Bull riding, but I have a feeling it isn't."

"Nope."

"Then I'll bet you compete in bareback."

"Good guess, what gave me away?"

"Aside from all the clues I just told you? When you pulled me out of that seat, I was resisting, and you barely had to pull. It made sense because bareback requires you to have so much strength in your arm." She had a satisfied grin on her face.

"Way to pay attention to detail. Very perceptive of you."

"That's nothing. Try managing a room full of eight year olds. Now that requires great ability to pay attention," She replied.

"So you're a teacher? That seems to fit you." He added thoughtfully.

"I was a teacher. Now I work in an office."

He noticed her change of tone when she said it and she could see a confused look forming on his face.

"Don't ask," she added before he could ask her the question that she knew was forming in his head.

He just nodded.

Another song ended. It seemed like the group was heading back to the table. Bella took the opportunity to get off the dance floor and get away from dealing with any awkward explanations.

When they got back to the table, Emmett had ordered two more pitchers of beer for the group. As they passed the drinks around there was cheering coming from a crowd on the other side of the bar. "Dude, we should totally ride the mechanical bull!" Mike exclaimed as he casually slapped Tyler on the shoulder. "I'll bet I can last longer than you."

"Yeah, I call bullshit. Ten bucks says I last longer." Tyler replied.

"You're on." The two took off and Jessica and Lauren quickly followed.

"Ben, you aren't going to join them?" Bella asked with a grin.

"Not a chance. There are much safer ways for me to embarrass myself." As he said it, the current rider of the mechanical bull was thrown and the crowd collectively groaned after he made impact with the ground. "See. That is going to be Tyler and Mike in a few minutes. I do not want to join them."

"You know, they let girls on there too," Edward said as he leaned in towards Bella. "I promise to give you a few pointers if you get on."

She could feel the eyes of the entire table on her. The man was blatantly flirting, and while it was nice when they were in private on the dance floor, it seemed very weird with his siblings and her coworkers looking on. She drank down the last of her beer to gather a little more courage and turned to him. "Oh, but you just told me you don't ride bulls - just horses. Maybe I'd take your pointers if you were a bull rider." The group at the table laughed.

Edward grinned at her quick remark. The girl had great spunk. He was definitely interested. Maybe Alice's advice was right after all.

A few minutes later, Bella, Angela, and Ben went to go watch their friends attempt to ride the mechanical bull. Edward watched Bella as she went.

"Maybe I should give you shots more often little brother. I like this Edward way more than the uptight one that has been around lately."

"Yeah Edward, and isn't it great that you have such a wonderful family that gives such good advice?" Alice did not even bother to hide her told-you-so tone.

"We'll see. Whether or not that advice actually helps is still up for debate," Edward replied.

Jasper looked to Emmett. "I think we missed something." His brother-in-law nodded in agreement.

"It's nothing important," Alice said as she turned back to her husband. "I was thinking that once I'm done competing, then I should definitely get into self-help therapy." Edward threw a coaster at her.

"Jas, I'm not sure we want to know what we missed," Emmett replied as he looked back and forth between his siblings.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 –

"Bella you should totally go for it," Angela said as they got over to the bull. Tyler was getting ready to ride it.

"For what?" she asked.

"Uh, I don't know, maybe the super hot cowboy that clearly wants you," Angela replied as they reached their friends.

Jessica turned around to face them. "Yeah, Bella, he is really hot. He might be drunk, but you should totally go for it. Even if it's just for tonight I'll bet it would be worth it."

"Don't you guys think hooking up with some rodeo competitor from Texas during the Stampede is a little cliché?"

"Bella, who cares? Think about it. The Stampede is all about being caught up in the party and having a good time," Angela replied. "So maybe you and Mr. Sexy Texan should start your own little party in his hotel room."

"The hotel he is staying at with his entire family?" Bella countered.

"He's not sixteen. I doubt he is sharing a room with them," Jessica replied.

"Let's forget about it and watch Tyler make a fool of himself."

"Nice change of subject," Angela added after they all turned to watch. Bella did not reply.

Tyler got up, put one arm in the air, and then nodded to the guy controlling it. The machine started to swing back and forth. The spectators cheered him on. The movements were smaller at first. Then once it looked like he was getting the hang of it the bull swung hard to the left. Tyler flew off the side. He had only been on for about four seconds.

He got up, stumbled a bit, and then made his way to the side of the mats. Lauren stood there waiting for him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss.

It was Mike's turn. He got on the bull and positioned himself for the ride. He nodded and the machine started. He did not even last as long as Tyler had. The bull swung backward and Mike lost his grip. He slipped backward and then rolled off. The group cheered him on regardless. When he got off the side of the mats Jessica was there to meet him. She gave him a hug and the disappointment seemed to disappear. Bella hoped that maybe they would get together. Jessica clearly liked him. He seemed to finally get the hint that Bella was not interested.

The seven of them went to the bar and did tequila shots in celebration of the two attempts at the bull riding. Ben ordered another round of eleven shots for the table while Bella and Angela got two more pitchers of beers.

As they walked back to the table, Bella began to feel the alcohol. It was going to be a long morning and she was extremely grateful that they were not required to work until the afternoon. They arrived at the table and everyone got a refill of beer. The waitress arrived seconds later with the shots. Each person was handed one.

"To the next ten days!" Bella toasted and help up her shot. Everyone held up their shots then did them. Afterward Bella almost gagged.

It seemed like she was not the only one. Angela smacked Ben in the chest. "Baby what was that? It was awful."

"It's called an Alamo," Ben replied. "Half Jack, half tequila."

Bella cringed at the thought. "That's disgusting." She took a big gulp of beer in an attempt to kill the taste.

They sat and talked for a little while longer, but soon a familiar song came over the speakers. It was one of Bella's favorites. She loved Luke Bryan, and Country Girl was such a fun song.

"I love this song!" Alice yelled, putting a stop to the conversation.

"Do you want to go dance?" Jasper asked with a smile.

Alice also seemed to be feeling the alcohol. "Not with you, sorry. Ladies, this dance is for us." She grabbed Bella's arm and pulled her out. Angela, Lauren, and Jessica soon followed. They got out to the dance floor and made a small circle of the five of them. Bella took note that she had acquired some liquid courage. Usually she would never get out on the dance floor and draw attention to herself. The thought, however, barely crossed her mind as she danced.

She swayed her hips and moved her arms to the beat. All five of them were right into the song and not paying attention to the audience that had accumulated. Not only had their group of guys come to the edge of the floor to watch, but a few others as well.

Edward stood back watching the group dance. He could not take his eyes off Bella. Something about her pulled him in.

"You better act fast brother. She has an audience." Emmett pointed toward the guys around the bar that were watching the girls.

Edward did not reply.

"At least get her number before the end of the night."

"Oh I intend to."

"Good," Emmett replied. "Listen, I'm going to head out. It's getting late."

"Missing Rose are we?"

"Damn straight, and I am not ashamed to admit it," Emmett replied. "Someday you'll get it baby brother. Who knows, maybe it'll be sooner than you think. This city is good luck after all." He smacked Edward on the back.

"Don't get mugged."

"Let them try." Emmett grinned. Someone would have to be insane to mess with him.

Edward went back to watching Bella.

As the song began to end, Ben turned to the rest of them. "I vote we stop standing here watching like idiots and get out there." He headed toward the group and grabbed Angela who smiled up at him.

The rest of the group followed. Edward came up behind Bella and leaned in close to her ear. "I thought you didn't dance?"

"I also don't do tequila, so that explains a few things," She replied. The song had ended and the next tune was much slower.

Edward turned her around and pulled her in closer. It was closer than he usually would on a first night. Usually he kept the customary couple inches in between him and the girl. Bella was pressed right up against him. She didn't seem to mind though, so he ignored it.

"I know this song," Bella said, "who sings it?"

"Zac Brown Band. It's called colder weather."

"It's pretty."

"It is."

"But it would never work for us." She was s little surprised at her drunken attempts at flirting.

"Oh yeah? How so?" he asked with a laugh.

"I'm the one who lives in the colder weather."

"Oh right. So I guess I need to move to Alaska."

"That would work."

"But if you listen to the lyrics it is all about a guy leaving his girl. I do in fact compete in the pro rodeo circuit. I move around a lot."

"Oh, so we're good then?"

"Exactly." He smiled at her adorable drunk sense of humor.

The songs seemed to drift together. Edward was sure he needed to thank the DJ. His song choices allowed him not to let go of the adorable brunette in his arms. Soon though, Angela tapped Bella.

"Bella, we're heading out. Ben has to work first thing in the morning. Not to mention Tyler and Mike are starting to feel stiff from that bull." She sounded apologetic.

"Uh, sure, I'll grab my stuff," Bella replied. She stepped back from Edward.

"Stay," he said as he grabbed her hand again. He was not quite sure what made him say it but refused to regret it.

Bella looked back and forth between him and Angela while she tried to decide. He looked at Angela. "Alice is here. I promise she's safe."

Angela looked at Bella, leaving the decision up to her friend.

"I think I'll stay," she finally replied. Edward could not help but smile. She took her arm from Edward's hugged her friend and told her she would be fine. Angela asked her to text her when she got home. Bella agreed.

After her friends left, Bella took Edward's hand again. He spun her then pulled her back to him. She stumbled a bit and fell into him. He steadied her then looked at her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off.

"Don't you dare apologize," he warned.

She shut her mouth quickly. He smiled, knowing that the word 'sorry' would have been the next thing out of her mouth.

They stayed at the bar for about another hour. They had a few more drinks and continued to jump between the dance floor and the table. When Edward saw Bella yawn, he decided it might be time to head out. He turned to Alice and Jasper who were across from them.

"Do we think it's time to head out? The Parade starts in about seven hours. We'll need to get there early."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm thinking I'm going to regret making everyone go to the parade," Alice replied. Her head was leaning on Jasper. She was clearly worn out.

"You ready to go?" Edward asked Bella, who was tucked up under his arm.

"I think so. I'm really tired."

Although he was not quite ready to break the contact, Edward pulled his arm away and slid out of the booth. Bella followed. When she was on her feet, he brought her back up next to him. The four headed for the door.

"Do we want to try to get a cab?" Alice asked.

"It'll be hard to get one," Bella replied. "But the train runs for twenty-four hours during stampede. Is your hotel close to the train?"

"Yeah, it isn't far," Jasper said.

When they reached the door, they saw that the weather predictions were not quite accurate. It was pouring, but still fairly warm out. Once they got soaked they would likely be freezing though.

"It's now or never," Alice said with a grin as she ran out into the rain. "Come on, the alcohol blanket will keep you warm. Let's go."

Bella followed her out with a big grin. They looked like two little girls in their element. They spun around, held hands as they ran around the parking lot, and jumped in all the puddles. Edward and Jasper just laughed as they stood under a small overhang.

"Come on!" the girls yelled together. Neither moved. Bella and Alice ran over and pulled them into the rain. Edward kept his arms tight around Bella as he walked behind her.

They hurried in the direction of the nearest train station. There was no train in sight when they arrived. The sign said the next one was in fourteen minutes. Once they were under the platform, they finally got a chance to look at each other. Alice and Bella's hair was stuck flat against their skin. Edward took note of one little piece that lay right on Bella's left breast. He wanted to reach out and put his hand there instead. Even in his drunken state, reason prevailed and he did not touch her. He did, however, look her up and down. Beads of water dripped down her bare legs. Her barely-there jean shorts were soaked, and her wet shirt hugged ever curve of her body. Even covered in cold rainwater he could feel himself growing very hard and was grateful that his Wranglers could conceal it.

To their left there was a flash of lightning. A few seconds later the thunder crashed. Bella came over to Edward and wrapped her arms around him this time.

"Are we afraid of thunderstorms Miss Swan?" Edward asked, as he looked down at her.

"No, actually, I love them. I just decided that you were not standing close enough to me."

He grinned and pulled her tighter.

"Better," she said.

After a few more minutes, the train arrived and they got on. There were a few people in the car with them but had one side all to themselves. Edward sat down first and Bella sat next to him. Edward put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She sat there for the rest of the train ride. Having her pressed right up against his crotch made him even harder.

Both silently took note that they were not acting like themselves. The alcohol was having a strong effect on them both.

The hotel they were staying at was just down the street from the First Street Station. "Where's your apartment?" Edward asked before they reached the station.

"Who says I'm inviting you in?" she joked.

"Doesn't matter if you are or not. I'm not leaving you by yourself at two in the morning to walk around downtown half drunk."

"Probably more than half," she said with a smile.

He laughed.

"I get off at the next station," Bella replied.

He nodded then turned to his sister and brother-in-law. "I'm going to walk Bella back to her apartment. You guys go up to the hotel."

"We can go too," Alice offered. She was yawning as she spoke.

"No, you go get some sleep. You need to be up early," Bella replied. She reached into her purse and grabbed her phone. She tossed it to Alice. "Put your number in it. We'll do something later this weekend."

"Okay," Alice replied. She looked at the phone for a second. "Jasper, you do it. I can't read the numbers, I'm drunk."

He quickly programmed her number in and tossed it back. Bella made a sad attempt to catch it but missed. Edward grabbed it before it hit the ground.

Alice and Jasper got off the train at the next stop. Bella and Edward, the stop afterward. The rain had slowed a little as they took the short walk to Bella's place.

About halfway there Edward stopped while Bella walked a bit. He tugged her hand and pulled her back to him. She stumbled, then crashed up against his solid chest. "I've wanted to do this all night, but there were too many people around." His face got closer to hers and finally his lips touched hers.

It was a soft kiss, a little tentative and was over much faster than Bella wanted. He pulled back just a little to look into her eyes and she shook her head.

"I think you need to do better than that," she said with a wink. She pulled his head back down to hers and kissed him. This time it was much more like the kiss she had been wanting. His hands ran down her back and cupped her bottom lifting her up onto her toes and closer to him. Her hands ran through his wet hair. When they finally broke the kiss, Bella leaned forward, gave him a quick peck on the corner of his mouth, and then tipped her head so her lips were near his ear. "Much better," she whispered. She turned around and tucked herself underneath his arm as they continued their walk.

When they reached the front of the building, Bella fumbled for her keys. She found them and opened the door.

"Is it time for goodnight?" she asked, looking up at his green eyes. He could hear a little hesitation in her voice as she said it. The shy Bella was back. It surprised him that he was not irritated by her hesitation. If anything he wanted her even more.

"That's up to you sweetheart. I can go if you want, but it won't be the last you see of me. That I promise."

She seemed to consider the options for a minute. He could tell the second she made her decision. She was easy for him to read when she was drunk. She looked up to meet his gaze. "Come up," she whispered.

He smiled, then bent his head down to kiss her again. This was not like his first kiss. It was more like the one she had initiated. He opened his mouth and ran his tongue along her lips until she opened them. He took advantage as soon as she did.

Edward lost a little bit of control and momentarily forgot they were in the entrance to her building. He backed her up against the wall and put a hand behind one of her knees. He lifted it up to wrap around his hip.

Bella broke the kiss. "Wait, not here. Let's get upstairs first."

Edward took a few deep breaths then stepped back. He grabbed the second door and opened it for her. She led him to the elevator and then pressed the button. They waited for it to come down from the top floor. Edward kept Bella in front of him, and she leaned back into his chest.

When the elevator opened, they smiled at the security guard who got off and then stepped inside. Bella pressed the button for her floor and then turned to him. He could not wait. He had his arms around her again and pushed her back against the wall. His lips found her again, and his hands went to her hips. He lifted her and rested her bottom on a small bar along the wall. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around him. He broke the kiss and began to kiss down her neck. She quickly looked up and saw they were on the eleventh floor.

Two seconds later the doors opened. "Please tell me your apartment is close," Edward said between kisses on her neck.

"Second door on the right."

He lifted her, keeping her legs around him, and carried her like that down the hall. Her keys were still in her hands from when they were in the lobby, but he was still forced to set her down so she could unlock the door.

They got inside and his lips were back on hers. He pulled at the snaps on her shirt, ripped them open, and then discarded the soaking wet item somewhere by the door. He gentle began to push her into the apartment when she stopped and broke the kiss. "Wait, boots off! My carpet." She barely got the words out, but he understood the meaning.

His boots came off easily. He used one foot to get the first off then did the same with the other. He smiled as she began to struggle to get hers off.

"Give me your foot." He reached down and pulled the first off effortlessly and then the other. "Maybe we should take all these wet clothes of. I wouldn't want to soak your apartment."

She raised an eyebrow, but seconds later she reached down and pulled off her tank top. She put her hands on the button of her jeans.

Before she undid them she looked up at Edward. "You too cowboy." His shirt had buttons, so instead of taking the time to undo them, he just pulled it over his head. The undershirt went next. Before he took off his jeans he stepped closer to her and moved her hands away. He undid her button, unzipped the zipper, then slid them down her wet legs. He bent down in front of her. He kissed her stomach, slid her underwear to the side, and then his fingers were on her.

Bella's head fell back and rested on the wall. His calloused fingers ran across her most sensitive area. Bella moaned. She put her hand on his head, and looked down to him. "Not here...bedroom, now!"

He stood up, breaking the contact. She grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom. There were western clothes all across her bed, but she just threw them onto the floor. She sat down at the edge of the bed and reached for his jeans. She undid them and began to pull them down. They were a tighter cut, and that, combined with the water made it difficult to get them off. She finally did. In the process, she pulled his boxer briefs halfway down too, but not far enough to free him. As she did this, he undid her bra and slipped it off her arms.

He grinned and pushed her back onto the bed. She lay back on the pillows and he followed her. He lay sideways propped up on one elbow. His other hand went underneath her panties as his mouth came down on hers. She reached out and freed him from his underwear. He groaned as she took him in her hands.

"Fuck!" he said quickly, and took his hand off her.

"I know, oh my god keep going!"

"No, Bella, fuck, I don't have a condom." He rolled onto his back and dropped his head back onto the pillow. "Contrary to the way I've been acting all night, I wasn't really expecting this when I went out to the midway. Please tell me you have some."

"I don't," she whimpered. "If you can believe it, I am not usually the one-night-stand kind of girl."

"I'm clean. I know that, but..."

"I'm not on anything. I didn't bother after - uh, never mind," Bella groaned.

"Damn." He took several deep breaths. He rolled back on his side. He wanted her so bad and it was torture that he could not have her. "Well, I guess we'll just have to make the most of it." He couldn't leave her completely unsatisfied. He rolled back onto his side, facing her. His hands went back to her core, and made circles around her clit. Bella moaned and slipped her hands down to the band of her underwear. "No, Bella, leave them on. That way we won't go too far."

He continued massaging her and when he put one finger inside her, she screamed out. He quieted her with a kiss and continued to pump his fingers into her. "Fuck, I cannot wait until I can replace my fingers with something else," he said hopefully as he broke the kiss.

"Let's see what we can do with that something else." She reached down and put her hand around him again. He was big. Bigger than anyone else she had been with.

He continued to pump his finger in and out of her while using his thumb to play with her clit.

She matched his pace with her hand. Shortly after they both were lost in it. "Come on Bella, come for me," he said in a harsh whisper.

His words took her over the edge. She screamed out and bucked her hips off the bed as her orgasm came. Another two pumps of her hands and he was spilling himself all over her stomach.

Both lay silent for a moment. "Wow," Bella finally said. It was the only thing that came to mind.

"Yeah, I agree," Edward replied. After another few minutes he sat up, pulled his underwear back up, and got off the bed.

The look on Bella's face told him she thought he was leaving.

"I'm not going far." He winked, then walked into what he assumed was the washroom.

Bella watched him look for something in her little bathroom. She had not moved from her position on the bed.

He found it and came back out with a wet cloth. "I'm going to clean you a little. I made a bit of a mess." He cleaned his mess off her and took the cloth back into the washroom.

He climbed back into bed and pulled her up against him. "It's late. Time to sleep," he said. "I'll be your big spoon," he joked, trying to lighten the mood. Bella just laughed and settled herself in close to him.

"I think it's going to be a long night," Bella said as she yawned.

"mmhmmm," He replied.

The long day had caught up to them, and very quickly, they were both asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7-

Edward awoke to the God-awful sound of his phone blaring. He rolled over, but it was not on his bedside table. In fact, he was not in his room. The events of the night before flashed through his mind. He sat up, and, after recovering from the movement, followed the sound of his ringtone to his jeans, which were in front of the bed. As he was searching for the phone, he heard Bella stir. Finally, he got the phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?" His voice sounded as awful as his head felt.

"Oh, you sound great," Rose said cheerfully into the phone. "Where are you? We said eight."

"I must have forgotten to set an alarm. I was really drunk," Edward replied. He looked over at Bella. She was awake. He mouthed 'sorry' to her. She just smiled.

"Edward, we all had the same wake-up call. You went back to sleep."

"Oh, yeah, probably. . . I don't remember." He sat down on the bed. He wanted to hit himself for forgetting that. Leave it to Rose to remember something that minor.

"Well, you better get dressed quickly. The parade is in an hour. I am pregnant and hungry. I need food."

He laughed. One didn't want to piss off Rose ever, especially when pregnant. "You guys go. Just leave my ticket at the front desk of the hotel. I feel awful. I think I'll skip food."

"I'll just run it up. I forgot my camera in the room, anyway."

Edward froze. "No it's fine. Just leave it at the desk."

"It's on the way, Edward. I'm already at the elevator. I'll be up in two minutes."

Edward had to give in. He looked to Bella and bit his lip. He didn't want to admit to his family that he was not in the hotel, but had no choice. "Don't flip out, Rose, but I'm not in my room."

"What do you mean you aren't in your room? Where are you?"

Edward opened his mouth to explain, but then heard another voice.

"Rose, give me the phone!" Alice demanded in the background.

Edward swore under his breath. Bella looked at him, confused. 'Alice,' he mouthed to her. Bella's eyes went wide and she buried her face in the pillow. He thought she was mortified at first, but he realized she was laughing.

"Edward! Are you at Bella's apartment?"

"Good morning, little sister. Tell the family I will see you all at the parade at nine. Enjoy your breakfast."

"But-" He hung up the phone before Alice could finish.

"Someone's in trouble," Bella teased from across the bed.

"I should make you come to the parade with me. They probably won't tease me as much if you're there."

Bella sat up, but before she could give him a smart-ass reply, she groaned, "Oh my God, I hate tequila," before falling backward onto her pillows.

"Tylenol?" Edward asked. Bella nodded, which made him laugh. "No, where is it?"

Bella sat up again, slower this time. She slowly got out of bed, pulled on an oversized t-shirt, and went into the kitchen. She soon came back with a bottle of Tylenol, a glass of water, and a bottle of Gatorade. Edward raised his eyebrow at the sport drink. "It's amazing. This drink, some greasy fast food, and a Tylenol- I'll be good as new."

"Please, don't talk about food," Edward groaned.

"Do you have a hangover cure? I can try to get it for you." She handed him the bottle of pills after taking one for herself. He grabbed the glass of water and then popped two pills.

"Coffee?"

"I can do that." She turned back to the kitchen, and after he put on his jeans, Edward followed. "Is instant okay?"

"At this point, as long as it has caffeine, I'll be happy," he replied as he came up behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close. "Have dinner with me tonight? I'd invite you to the parade, but we have bleacher tickets from the Stampede, and I don't know if we can get you one."

"Oh, that's fine, because, unlike you, I am going right back to sleep."

"Are you sure I can't join you?"

"Alice will find you."

"You're probably right," he replied as he grabbed his coffee. "After I drink this, do you mind if I take a quick shower? I don't want to go to the parade smelling like a brewery."

"For sure. Towels are in the cupboard above the toilet. My shampoos and body washes are pretty girly, but there's bar soap in there somewhere."

He quickly finished the coffee and headed to the washroom.

Bella watched Edward head to the washroom. A big part of her wanted nothing better than to follow him in there but reason got the better of her. One unplanned pregnancy in the last year was enough. She finished her Gatorade and sat down on one of the stools in front of her island counter. Edward was out of the shower in only a few minutes. Bella admired him from the kitchen. He came out in only his jeans, and there were still water droplets running down his front.

"You make it pretty difficult to practice self-control when you walk around all topless like that." She tried to play it casual, but she was more than a little terrified on the inside. She kept telling herself that this was just _not _like her. However, she couldn't deny that she was enjoying this strange new Bella that had inhabited her body.

"This coming from the girl wearing a t-shirt and a pair of underwear," he replied while he pulled his own t-shirt over his head. After it was on, he came up in front of her and put his hands on her knees. He pushed slightly, spreading them apart and stepped in between. Running his hands up and down her legs, he leaned in close to give her a kiss. "You still didn't answer me. Dinner tonight?"

"Okay, but only if it's on the grounds.; I'm not missing a day of Stampede. Besides, it's safe there."

"What do you mean safe?" He paused for a minute. "Listen, Bella, if you want to take it a bit slower we can. Last night was crazy - good crazy, but still crazy. I don't want you to feel rushed. I want you, bad, and I won't lie about that, but if you want a few days..."

"No, it's okay. I want to see you tonight. I want to see where this goes." She knew she still sounded a little unsure, but she knew she wanted it.

"Okay, how about I come pick you up here? What time?"

"I'm off at 4:30, so how about 5? That will give me time to change and get ready."

"You could show up dressed like a clown and I'd still be hard the moment I saw you." Bella's eyes widened. Edward regretted saying it for a second, but she leaned forward and kissed him, which reassured him that she did not regret the night before, even if she was not as open about it as he was. He needed to remember though, that sober Bella was adorable, but not as outgoing as drunken Bella. "I seriously am considering skipping the parade and finding the nearest drugstore," he groaned. "Fuck, I have to go."

"Yes, you do. See you later."

He headed toward the door, and she followed. "By the way, just so you have to suffer like I am right now, there's something you should know."

"Oh, yeah?"

He leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "I'm not wearing anything under these jeans. I left a surprise in your bedroom."

"Ugh, why can't you be like every other guy on Earth and carry condoms around with you?" She leaned against the doorway, bending her head back in exasperation.

"I'll make sure to stop at a drug store sometime this afternoon." He bent forward and kissed her forehead. "Until then, you can think all about how I am not wearing any underwear."

She met his eyes and decided it was time to tease him back.

She got up on her tiptoes and leaned in close to his ear. "And while doing that, I'll be in my bed. I'll be all alone, and there will be no one to tell me to leave my panties on." He could tell she was still somewhat unsure of what she was saying, but watching her try to be sexy was far more attractive and endearing to him than what she was saying.

Bella was a little shocked at the words coming out of her mouth. This was very un-Bella type behaviour, but she could see in his eyes that he was enjoying it. She wondered if she was still a little bit drunk, but the headache told her otherwise. Maybe the headache was causing her to act like a completely different person.

"Fuck me," Edward groaned as he headed out the door. He kept eye contact with her until he reached the elevator.

Bella closed her door behind him, and leaned against the door for support. She took a few deep breaths to get control of her libido then headed to her room. She went right back to bed. Not only had he left his underwear, but also his button down cowboy-style shirt from the night before. She considered sleeping in it, but it was still damp from the rain. Instead, she got back into bed with just her underwear on. He had definitely left her worked up, and unsatisfied, but her lack of sleep got the best of her. She crawled under the covers and went straight to sleep.

Edward hurried to the hotel. After a quick run upstairs to change, he hurried back down and grabbed his ticket from the front desk. When he arrived at the parade route, he weaved through the thousands of spectators, and finally found the bleachers that matched his ticket. Spotting his family was not hard, because Alice stood up and waved while yelling his name. A short climb later, he was sitting next to Jasper.

"How're you feeling this morning?" Edward asked his somewhat green brother-in-law.

"I feel like I was hit by a truck, you?"

"About the same; Alice, how about you?"

"I feel pretty good this morning, but for about an hour last night the toilet was my best friend."

"Our hotel room smells a bit like vomit," Jasper said with a sigh.

"Can we please stop talking about it?" Edward asked. "I've already got the headache; I do't want to add puke to the mix. I didn't even eat this morning just in case."

"Us either," Alice said. "Coffee is the only thing in my system right now." Jasper nodded in agreement.

"Apparently, you three need to learn when it's time to quit." Carlisle looked suspiciously like he was going to laugh at them.

"Oh, I know when we should have quit; we just didn't," Edward replied.

Soon after, the sound of a marching band started up, and the focus turned to the street in front of them. For the next two hours, they watched as several marching bands, plenty of community groups, countless floats, tons of entertainers, and hundreds of horses flooded the streets.

Children were laughing and cheering, and normally Edward would have enjoyed seeing everyone having a good time, but his thoughts were elsewhere. His first priority was trying not to be sick, but when he was not thinking about his hangover, he thought about Bella. He wished he could run to the local drugstore, grab a pack of condoms, and lock himself in her apartment for the next few days.

She was beautiful, that was for sure, and there was much more to her than that. She was sweet, but had spunk when the moment called for it. Edward knew she had some deep stuff in her past because she occasionally caught herself before saying something revealing. It was not that he expected to know everything about her after one day, but it surprised him that he wanted to know all those things, at all.

Every few minutes he would remind himself that they had just met. They were not a couple; in fact, all they really had was a drunken night at a bar, and some pretty great touching. Then his mind would wander to that specific part of the night before, and he would be rock hard again. It was hard to believe how easily his body responded when he thought of her. Never had a woman made him this horny; usually sex was just that, sex. The last time he was perpetually hard was in his teen years. In the past, when he wanted someone and could not have them, a quick shower and his own hand would do the trick. It had not worked that morning, but he thought that was probably because it had been in Bella's shower, and everything smelled like her.

The entire two hours of the parade, Edward only thought about Bella, it was a good thing no one could read his thoughts, because he was pretty sure they resembled those of an obsessive stalker. It was the sex, he decided – or the lack thereof. Because they had not been able to actually have sex, it was all he could think about. He tried to convince himself that it was just about sex, and if it had been anyone, he would feel the same. A little voice in his head kept telling him, though, that Bella was not just anyone.

The parade ended at eleven and the crowds began to disperse. Waiting for things to thin out a little, the family sat for a few more minutes. Alice said something to her husband, and the two switched spots. Edward waited for her to ask about Bella, and the night before.

"You barely watched the parade, you know," his sister commented. "I think you might be even less relaxed than you were yesterday." Edward couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe I gave you bad advice."

"I doubt it was your advice." He chose not to say anything else. "Alice, don't ask me about the last twelve hours, okay?"

"I do not want to hear dirty sex stories about my brother, but I'm possibly even more worried than I was yesterday."

"I'm fine, little sister. My mind is just elsewhere. Don't worry about me." He put his arm around her in reassurance.

"I just want to see you happy. You realise that I can count on one hand the amount of times you've truly seemed happy over the last year."

"Being determined and being happy are not opposites, you know."

"Edward, I've known you since the day I was born. I know when you're happy."

Edward wanted to reply, but the rest of the group was getting up and starting to climb down from the bleachers. They walked for a few minutes and then stepped off the main sidewalk to discuss afternoon plans.

Carlisle and Esme were heading down to the grounds to watch the rodeo for the day, Rosalie and Alice decided to go shopping, and Jasper was heading back to the hotel for a nap. Edward wanted to do the same. He was exhausted, but Emmett was bored.

"Are you hungry?" Emmett asked after the group split apart. "You look a little better than you did when we first sat down. Want to try to eat?"

Edward had not thought about food all morning. However, as soon as Emmett mentioned food, Edward's stomach reminded him how empty it was. He agreed and they headed to a nearby street where they could grab something to eat.

"So, you spent the night with that girl from the bar?" Emmett asked after they had ordered.

"Bella, yeah, at her apartment."

"Maybe it's because I've been married for a while now, but she didn't strike me as the one-night-stand type girl."

"No, I don't think she is; I'm taking her out tonight."

"Taking her out? Or sleeping with her?"

"What's that supposed to mean? It's none of your business, Emmett."

"No, but think of it this way: remember when we were at the finals in Vegas? The first time Alice met Jasper, we almost killed the guy for kissing her. Your Bella doesn't have any big brothers here to protect her. Jasper obviously turned out to be a good guy, and I know you're a good guy, but drunken sex at her place after one night at the bar is not really 'good guy' behaviour. We were taught better than that. I know I didn't talk to her that much last night, but like I said, she didn't seem like that type of girl either."

Edward sighed. He wasn't in the mood to hear this - mostly because it was true.

"Listen, I get it Edward, I know you didn't take advantage of her or anything, but our mom raised you to be a Southern gentleman."

"I know, but fuck, there is something about her. When I'm with her I can't keep my head on straight. I'm like a horny teenager. I don't get it."

"Well, figure it out. Don't treat her like she's some tour whore that you want to sleep with and then run off. I'm not saying start some serious relationship. You barely know each other, but at least take her out a few times before you sleep with her again."

Before Edward could answer, their food came, and they began to eat. Emmett was right and Edward knew it. He did not know anything about Bella, but he knew that the night before was not the way she deserved to be treated. His cock would probably kill him, but he was not going to go buy condoms for them before their date.

Bella had an easy afternoon at work, but as soon as it was 4:30, she was out the door. She had not been very productive all afternoon, and was glad there was little work to do. She was terrified about what would happen when she met Edward that night. He was expecting the Bella he met the night before, not the regular boring, sober Bella.

She hurried back to her apartment and got dressed and ready for the night. She headed down to the front of the building just before five to wait for Edward. When she arrived down, he was already there. He stood casually in a black Jack Daniels button-down shirt. It had white piping along the edges, and black snaps down the front. It was tucked into a pair of jeans that looked like they were tailored to him, and he wore the boots and hat he wore the day before.

"Hey ,you!" She approached him cautiously and he pulled her into a hug.

"You look great," he said, as he looked her up and down. She wore a flowered sundress and her brown boots. She had a jean jacket hung over her arm in case it got colder later.

Edward's eyes were all over the place. He couldn't seem to meet her gaze for any length of time. He removed his hat and ran his hands through his hair. "Before we go, though, we should talk."

"That sounds ominous." She stepped back and tried to read his expression. He looked torn, and somewhat guilty. "Please don't tell me you are married or have some girlfriend back in Texas."

"No, God no, there's no one back home. I'm not a complete ass. Ok, well, maybe I am, but not that bad." He was stumbling on his words a little bit and still not getting to the point. "Ok, I don't really know how to say this, but first, I didn't buy condoms."

"Okay," she said slowly. "We can always grab some later."

"No, the truth is that I purposely didn't buy them. I thought about it, believe me I did, but then kind of decided that maybe we shouldn't...you know...do you get what I mean?" He did not know how to continue.

"You know what, that's fine." She stepped back. "But seriously, if all you wanted was a one night stand, then why did you even ask me to dinner? Why would you get me all excited for the whole afternoon, then bail the moment we met up? Did you feel bad for almost fucking me while you were drunk? I don't want pity; I am sick of shitty guys messing with me. If it was just a one-night thing, you never should have slept over. You could have left in the middle of the night, or even just been like every other asshole out there and get my number but never call." She turned back toward her building. "Good luck next week; I'll try really hard not to wish for a horse to land on you, but only because I wouldn't want the horse to get hurt."

She reached her door when he got over the surprise of her tirade, and caught up to her. He got himself between her and the door. "Move," she commanded.

"Bella, let me finish."

"I got your meaning, now let me go home." She tried to get around him, but he refused to move.

"That's not what I meant." He put his hand under her chin and lifted it to meet his gaze. She had tears in her eyes, and he hated that he had screwed up so bad that she was going to cry.

"It's not?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not. Bella, I didn't buy them because I was trying to be a nice guy. Emmett reminded me today that my mother raised me to be a Southern gentleman. What happened last night was probably the exact opposite. A true Southern gentleman doesn't try to drunkenly sleep with a nice girl the night he meets her. He takes her out for a nice dinner – or a night at the fair – and then walks her home. Then he doesn't stay. I know we just met, but I like you Bella. I don't want you to just be some girl I slept with while I was on the pro tour. Maybe we won't fit at all. After one date we might realise we could never be together, but I think we should see."

Bella stood silently for a moment, taking in what he had just said. Finally, she nodded. "Okay, I take back what I said. I wouldn't want a horse to land on you because _you_ might get hurt. But don't call the Stampede a fair. It's much bigger than that." She smiled, and used the back of her hand to wipe the tears that had formed during her freak-out. She wiped one eye, and he reached out and wiped the other with his thumb.

"Don't cry. I don't want to see you sad. You deserve better than what happened last night, and I intend to give you that." He pulled her close for another hug. "Better?" She nodded against his chest. "Good. Now, let's go get some greasy midway food.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 –

Edward paid Bella's gate admission, flashed his pass to get in, and then escorted her into the park. There was a crowd forming at the Coke Stage, but Bella did not know who was playing that night.

"Anyone good playing?" Edward asked, practically reading her mind.

"I'm not sure; we can check." She led him over to the sign. When she found the listing for the day, she smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't mind seeing them, they're good."

"Yeah, maybe we'll come back to watch later, but for now; food. What would you like?"

"I'm not sure, maybe we should wander, and see if anything looks good," Bella offered.

"Sure," he replied.

They walked passed a building called the BMO Center; inside were aisles of booths and displays for people to look through. There was also a western art gallery. Bella had not been in it yet, but she would wander through it at some point in time during the week. Next to the BMO Center was the Stampede Corral, which included a small arena that was playing a theatrical production about the Stampede. It was new this year, and a another thing Bella wanted to check out.

The route they took was full of carts and trucks selling food. Bella looked around seeing if anything really caught her attention. Several things did, however, they were more of the dessert variety, and she wanted dinner food.

"What about beef on a bun? That looks good." Edward pointed to a little trailer selling burgers and such. "You're not a vegetarian or anything, are you?"

"No, not at all. I love my Alberta beef too much to be a vegetarian."

"It can't be anywhere near as good as Texas beef," He teased, and bumped his hip into her playfully.

She caught his double meaning. "Well, I'm sure there is some Texas meat that I'd love to try for myself, but when it comes to actual beef – from cows – not a chance. You are not winning that argument, cowboy; not with me at least." She had a playful smile on her face, and she poked him in the side in retaliation. "And beef on a bun sounds great." They headed over to the stall and ordered the food.

"Anything to drink?" He asked Bella.

"No, I'm going to go get lemonade over there." She nodded her head to a stand shaped like a lemon. "Here's money for my sandwich." She held out a twenty.

"Yeah, right, I'm buying you dinner. Put your money away." He put his hand over hers, and gently forced it back down to her purse.

"Want a lemonade?" she asked.

"Nope, because I'm not going to let you go pay for them," he replied, keeping his arm around her.

"It's 2012 you know, us lady folk have the right to vote and everything. At least up here in Canada, we do," she said with an exaggerated twang.

"And, yet, the Southern gentleman in me cannot possibly let his lady pay."

"Fine, you win this time, cowboy, but I'm buying dessert."

"We'll see," he said as he handed her the sandwich. They went over to the lemon booth, got lemonade, and tried to decide where to eat.

"We can go sit on the steps of the dome; it'll be nice and warm in the sun," Bella suggested. She led him to a bunch of concrete steps in front of probably the weirdest shaped arena he had ever seen.

"Every time I come here, I just can't get over this building. Who makes an arena that dips in the middle?"

"The Saddledome is amazing. My Calgary Flames play here; be nice," she warned.

"Hockey?" He turned to her with a grin.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask that," she replied. "I'm Canadian, of course it's hockey." She saw the mischievous smile on his face. "Please tell me you actually knew that, and you were just kidding."

"I knew it. I've seen them play the Dallas Stars before. I don't quite get all the rules, but it's an entertaining game to watch."

They went up a few steps and sat down on the same step facing each other. "So, tell me more about yourself," Edward prodded. I know your favorite sport is obviously hockey, but what else? "

"What do you want to know? Music preferences? Favorite movie? Deep dark secrets?"

"Everything." He replied after finishing a big bite of his sandwich.

"Well, I love country and rock music, generally the new stuff, 90s and later. Uh, my favorite movie of all time is probably Schindler's List. Cinematically it is amazing, and even though it's so tragic, it's also beautiful."

"Family?"

She had just taken a drink of her lemonade, scrunched her nose at the sour taste the swallowed. He laughed at her expression. "Mine is sweeter, would you like to trade?"

Bella nodded, and then handed hers over. She tasted the new one. "Sorry, this is much better. As for my family, divorced parents, only child. My mom, Renee, is remarried and travelling the continent with her new husband, Phil. My dad is the police chief in a small town in Washington. Mom raised me, but she was always a wildcard. I've lived in Calgary all my life, but when I was little, I spent every spring break, and all of August with my Dad."

"School?"

"I majored in Canadian Studies for my first degree, and then I got a degree in elementary education." Before he could ask her about teaching, she turned it back to him. "Your turn."

"Favorite movie is hands down the Silence of the Lambs. It's creepy, but good. I love country music most, but since I'm from Texas that isn't a shock. You know a little about my family, but the short version is Mom and Dad are ridiculously happily married. Emmett has known Rose since childhood, and they started dating after high school. They are expecting their first baby in two months. Alice met Jasper on the circuit, and then there's me."

"How much of an age difference between you guys is there?" She noticed he was finished his fries, so she offered some to him.

"Emmett is twenty-eight, I'm twenty-five, Alice is twenty-four, and if you were wondering, Rose is my age, and Jasper just had his twenty-ninth birthday."

"You're all so close. I don't know how you do it. I mean, my childhood was great. I had two parents who loved me even if they couldn't love each other. Since I grew up though, I don't see them that much. Mom and I were really close, but when she remarried I gave them space. I guess every family functions differently, so, as long as it works."

"Yeah, sometimes it feels like my family is a part of everything I do, but it's partially my fault. I live in an apartment above one of my parents' barns. Dad is a breeder, so I get to work with the horses. That part is great, but sometimes I wish I had my own space." He popped the last of Bella's fries into his mouth.

"So you live with your parents?" she joked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I just live on their property." Bella loved how they were able to interact so playfully. Nearly every other first date she had even been on had been awkward and very stiff.

They sat quietly for a few minutes as they ate. When they were just about done, a band began to set up at the bottom of the steps. It was the Calgary Stampede Showband. "They are really good. If you're into marching bands – which to be honest, I doubt anyone actually is - they are one of the best though. The organisation has won awards all over the world." Bella remembered seeing the piles of trophies inside the BMO Center over the years.

"I saw them at the parade this morning, but since I had the headache of a lifetime, I don't remember much. Let's stay and watch." He quickly gathered up their garbage and threw it out. He returned to Bella on the steps, but this time he sat behind her and put his legs on either side of her. She rested her arms on his thighs and leaned back into him. The touch was intimate, and it made her think about the night before. Based on the hardness that was forming behind her, Bella assumed Edward felt the same. Neither said anything though, and they sat for the show. As the band played, Edward slowly massaged Bella's bare shoulders. She sighed and rested more on him. It felt comfortable to be with him, which was a shock for two reasons. First, because they barely knew each other, and second, because up until now, none of her Edward-related thoughts could be described as comfortable.

Edward looked down at the brunette between his legs. He was hard as hell from her simple touch, but he did not regret his decision at all. If anything, the last few hours had confirmed that Emmett was right, and he should take things much slower. It was hard to believe that he had known her for less than twenty-four hours; he felt completely at ease with her, which was rare for him. There were very few people that he let in, but the ones that he did were the most important.

That thought should have terrified him; he had no idea how she became so important that fast, but she had. Even if they did not end up working as a couple, or even if he never saw her after the 2012 Stampede, Bella would play some important role in his life.

The band finished their last song and the crowd cheered for them. The large group headed off in another direction, and slowly the crowd dispersed to go and enjoy more of the Stampede's offerings.

The two began to wander around the park. "Do you want to watch the Chuckwagon races tonight?" Edward asked after a few minutes of wandering. They walked slowly, following the pace of the crowd. Edward made sure to always keep Bella's hand in his, so they did not separate.

She shook her head. "No, not tonight, I've got tickets for Sunday night, though."

"Who are you going with?"

"Good question. I do have two tickets. One was supposed to be for my mom, but she's in Florida. It's too bad I can't find myself some nice guy to go with."

"Well, I could take them off your hands. I'm sure Emmett would love to go watch the Chucks."

"Maybe I'll invite Emmett then." She stuck her tongue out at him, and then stepped back. "So, Cullen, what are you doing Sunday night?"

"I'm taking this gorgeous brunette to the Chuckwagon Races. Maybe after that we'll stay for the Grandstand Show. I hear it's spectacular this year." He pulled Bella lightly back to him, and wrapped his arms around her.

"I've heard that, too - lots of fireworks, and Paul Brandt."

Edward leaned down to kiss her, but they were interrupted when a passing guy bumped Bella in the side. "Could you make out somewhere else? We're trying to walk here."

"Watch where you're walking," Edward called back. The guy turned for a second, but decided it wasn't worth the argument. Edward might not be Emmett's size, but he still did not look like someone you would want to piss off. "Asshole," he muttered.

"We are in the middle of the walkway," Bella offered.

"He's still an asshole." The moment was gone, so Edward put his arm around her shoulder and they continued to walk along.

They took a short walk down the midway, and Bella took him to the grassy area she had eaten with her friends the day before. "I love it here. If I had to pick my favorite place to sit, it would be right at this spot. You get the sights and sounds of the midway in every direction in front of you, and you can just sit in the grass and take it all in. Last year, on the final night of Stampede, I sat here for about two hours. I didn't want the night to end."

"So, if I ever want to find you, this should be the first place I look?"

"Yep, I'm that easy. All you need to do is find me on the midway."

Eventually, the two headed to the BMO center for something to do. Inside, there were stalls with all kinds of products. Some were Western themed, some had food, and others were random items. They walked past a display for a "Super Shammy" that could supposedly clean anything; the vendor wanted to give them a demonstration, but they just kept walking.

After wandering the aisles for a few minutes, they went into the second room, which was the Western Art Gallery. Inside were tons of different pieces of all types; the only thing they all had in common was they all had a prairie or western feel. "I love the stuff I see in here; I'm usually not an art person, but every year I wander this place several times because I want to make sure to see everything." She stopped as they reached a booth that contained woodcarvings. In front of the booth was a four-foot tall horse that had reared back on its hind legs. Bella stopped to look at it for a few seconds, but a smaller one in the back caught her eye. It was a carving of three sets of cowboy boots. One was a large pair, obviously a man's, then the next was a few sizes smaller, a woman's size, and finally there was a very small pair that would have been the child's size. It was called "Family."

"You like this one?" Edward asked as he came up behind her.

"Yeah, it's probably because we were talking about family. It's sort of wrong though, right? Not every family can be portrayed like this. Stuff like this just makes me feel like my family wasn't right. Does that makes sense?" She looked over her shoulder to meet his eyes.

"Of course it does, but I think it's important to remember that this is just the artist's interpretation of family. Like we said earlier, as long as it works, right?"

She slowly nodded. "I guess. I get it now, but it's hard on kids to see this kind of thing and not feel like their family is not normal." She was thinking about her own child, and how he could have felt the same growing up. "It's really pretty though."

"Yes, they are really well done," Edward said. He nodded to the artist who was standing nearby.

Bella looked at the artist as well. "They really are; thanks for sharing your work."

Bella lost track of time as they wandered through the different kinds of art, Edward did not seem bored, but finally she decided she would not make him look at art any longer. "Ready to go?"

"Only if you are," he replied. She nodded and they headed toward the door. As they were walking, Bella caught sight of a photography booth and stopped in her tracks. Edward, who had continued walking, felt the tug on his arm when she stopped.

"Can we look at one more?"

"Of course," he replied before he followed her into the little gallery.

The pictures were local, all of them from places nearby to Calgary - the little things that you often overlook when driving down the highway: barns that are so old that they begin to sag or lean sideways, grain elevators from the hey-day of the prairies, and little farming towns that are passed on the way to the cities. In the very back was a black-and-white photo of a newer barn in the middle of a field. There was a row of trees in the background, and wildflowers in the front. The sky was beginning to cloud in; it looked like the moments before a storm rolled in. "Did you find a new favourite?" Edward asked as he came up behind her and pulled her into his arms.

"It's really pretty. I love the sky."

"It's gorgeous, it could be anywhere around here, or half of Texas."

"That's kind of what I love about it; it's not a specific farm, or town, or anything. It's just a barn in the middle of a field. I need to win the lottery; then I could go out and buy seventeen hundred dollar pictures." She was amazed at the price, but she knew there was someone out there that could buy them, and she couldn't blame the artist for wanting to make a living.

"It seems like a lot for a picture that you could get anywhere, but the photographer really does capture the scene perfectly."

"Let's go before I debate selling my car so I can buy a picture." Edward laughed as he followed her out of the gallery.

The sun had started to set; Bella could hardly believe that so much time had passed. It was nearing ten o'clock. The exit was next to the Coca-Cola stage, and the band was already on. They decided to watch, and walked over to the fence surrounding the grass in front of the stage. Bella sat up on the railing while Edward stood behind and kept her steady.

The band finished just before eleven, and since the two were still exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before, it was time to call it a night. Following the crowd of concert-goers, they headed toward the C-train platform. It was packed. "How are your legs?" Bella asked.

"Fine, are we walking?"

"Yep," she replied and stepped left of the crowds, and across a bridge toward a stairway that went down to street level. Before they went down the steps, the fireworks began. "Let's stay up here and watch," Bella suggested. Edward nodded. They stepped close to the side of the bridge so they didn't block the people walking, and watched the fireworks display.

Edward kept glancing down at Bella as the fireworks went off. She had this look of innocent wonderment on her face. It was as if she had never seen fireworks before, which he knew was not true, but she still treated it that way. He had to admit, that as far as fireworks go, it was a great show. It would be even better when they saw it from inside the grounds because it went along with the Grandstand Show music.

Over ten minutes later, the show was finished and Bella turned in Edward's arms, "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked honestly.

"I know it's not the most exciting thing to do when you are in your twenties, but I love the fireworks. It reminds me of when I was little and we'd go to Canada Day celebrations, or other stampedes. It's kind of a nostalgia thing. I was really happy when I was a kid."

"And you aren't now?" He could see in her eyes that he had touched on something she wasn't ready to talk about.

"Right this second, yes, but sometimes being an adult sucks. There are many moments that I just wish I could run home to my mom's house and crawl back into my childhood bed; it's been a rough last year." She leaned her head on his chest and took a deep breath. "I know I'm being really vague, and I don't mean to freak you out or anything, but can you wait? I don't want to ruin tonight."

"Of course, I'll wait; I hope that someday soon you'll feel like you can tell me it all. However, until then, keep your secrets; it's okay. I'm here though, when you are ready." He lifted her chin and kissed her softly. "Let's get you home."

They walked several blocks back to Bella's apartment in silence, but it was not awkward. It was a comfortable silence. Edward knew she had a lot on her mind, and he refused to push. As much as he wanted to hear what was troubling her, he reminded himself that they had only just met.

After kissing her gently again at her door he said goodnight. He wished he could go up with her, but it was not the right time just yet. He was going to stick to his plan if it killed him, and it just might.

The walk back to the hotel went by quickly, and he soon was at the door of his hotel room. Opening the door, he took note that the TV and the lights were on. He wondered which member of his family was checking on him this time.

He rounded the corner out of the entranceway and there sat Alice, propped up on his pillows. "I shouldn't be surprised that you are here."

"Nope, you shouldn't. I was just checking in on you. Mom is worried, and I didn't quite want to divulge that the reason you are all stand-offish is because you are sleeping with a girl you just met." She sat up and shuffled to the end of the bed.

"If you must know, I am not sleeping with Bella. Almost, but not yet." He pulled off his Jack Daniel's shirt and threw it in a laundry bag. He then un-tucked his t-shirt, getting more comfortable. He acted very casual, but he knew Alice would see right through it.

"Elaborate please. You went back to her apartment yesterday, and spent the night. How did you not sleep together? Oh my God; you were drunk. Were you too drunk?"

Edward shook his head and laughed. "No, that was not the issue. I'm glad we didn't, though. She deserves better than a tacky drunken one-night stand."

"That's true; so how'd it go tonight?" she waved her hands in a circular motion, telling him to get on with the details.

"Good, we went to the grounds, had dinner there, wandered through the art gallery, and then watched the concert and fireworks." He took his boots off and tossed them by the closet.

Alice's expression fell. She was clearly annoyed that he was not giving her the details she wanted. "Do you like her?" Alice prodded.

"A lot; I know, it's crazy, but I can't help it. I can't even tell you what it is about her, but there is something." He sat down facing her on the bed.

"It's not crazy; I knew I'd marry Jasper from the moment I met him. He was different."

He held his hands up in front of him telling her to stop. "Hold on. I'm not jumping to marriage just yet, but still, she's something else."

"Hmm, maybe I was wrong," Alice wondered out loud after seeing his face.

"About what?" he asked.

"Clearly it isn't sex that will get you out of your funk, it's Bella. You haven't talked about the rodeo at all today. That's a good thing, by-the-way."

His eyes widened and he was surprised to find that she was right. He let himself fall back onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling. He took a deep breath. "Yeah, it definitely feels nice not to be stressed, but it could be a disaster on Tuesday." He bit his lip, feeling slightly bad about skipping out on his normal routine.

"Maybe it'll be worth it," she said as she jumped off the bed, and stood in front of him.

"Maybe." He sat up again. He glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed. Go find your husband." He gave her a good-natured shove toward the door.

"Fine, I'm going," Alice agreed, turned off the TV, and headed for the door.

He jumped off the bed and hurried after her to the door. He met her just as she opened it. "Before you go, can you give me Bella's number? I know where she lives, but I still have no phone number."

"Epic fail on your part, brother dear." She pulled out her phone and sent her number in a text message.

"Thank you, and Goodnight. I owe you."

"You always owe me. Goodnight." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before leaving.

He shook his head, but couldn't deny that she was right. He always owed her for something.

He pulled out his phone, and began sending a text to Bella.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 –

Bella got Edward's message just before she fell asleep Friday night, and even though she was tired, she had a hard time falling asleep. It seemed that Edward was just as anxious to see her as she was to see him. Their date for Sunday's chuckwagon races were not soon enough, and he had invited her to the rodeo on Saturday afternoon.

She knew she was going to be late, as she had a lunch date with Angela and the girls from the office, but Edward did not mind, and agreed to leave the ticket at the front desk of his hotel for her. She could pick it up on her way.

At lunch, Bella became the topic of conversation. She had told some of the details about Thursday night when they were at work on Friday, but by Saturday, the girls were relentless.

"Bella, you need to share. Please tell me you slept with the sexy Texan cowboy. Hot sex with a gorgeous guy you barely know doesn't happen to any of us. You need to share," Lauren demanded.

"She's right," Angela added. "I love Ben, so I don't get hot sex with random strangers. I need to live vicariously through you. Besides, you owe me because you never texted me that you got home okay from the bar."

"Whatever, you didn't text me until Friday at ten-thirty, so I'd say you forgot, too. We were both pretty drunk. Besides, I did apologize at work yesterday."

"Maybe, but you still need to tell us all about your sexy rodeo boy. It must have been pretty good that you forgot about your friend," Jessica chimed in. "Although from what I saw, I'm pretty sure I'd forget my own name if I got to see that guy naked." The girls all laughed.

Bella eventually broke down and told them the whole story, and about her date the day before.

"Seriously?" Jessica said. "I would have told him to forget the Southern gentleman thing and dragged him up to my apartment. We would have been naked before we reached the bedroom."

"Believe me, Jessica, the thought came to mind. It's sweet though, right? I'm not being crazy?"

"No, it's adorable," Lauren replied. "Just make sure you get to ride your cowboy before he runs off to Texas."

Bella laughed, almost spitting her pop all over the table. It was hard to believe that two days ago she thought that she would hate putting up with Lauren and Jessica just so she could be friends with Angela, but they were not _that _bad. She could not help but like having a group of girlfriends to chat with. It seemed that when she was no longer competition, the girls warmed up to her. "Okay, enough about me. I want to know about Jessica and Mike. Please tell me you finally got him to give you the attention you deserve."

"Oh, he has, but I am making him pay for the fact that he made me wait so long."

Bella's lunch went even later than she thought it would. She practically had to run to the hotel, and then the grounds. She waited in the long admission line, then got inside and hurried toward the Grandstand.

The ticket was for infield seats, and so she had to go all the way through the grandstand, and across to the other side of the field. She had never sat there since infield seats were well out of her price range. After asking an usher where to go, she spotted Edward in the stands. He was with what she assumed was his entire family. She saw Alice with Jasper, Emmett sitting next to a pregnant blonde that had to be his wife, and she recognised Carlisle from Thursday at the lemonade stand. He stood with a small auburn haired woman, presumably his wife.

Bella quickened her pace; Edward had still not seen her. When she reached the section, she stopped dead in her tracks. Nothing could have prepared her for what was about to happen.

Esme and Carlisle stood facing her; Carlisle was introducing Edward, who faced away from her, to a couple. "Edward, this is James and Victoria Stanton. Your mother and I were just having a lovely conversation with them at the restaurant. They're sitting a few sections above us."

"It's nice to meet you," she heard Edward say to the couple. He still had not seen her, but at that second, someone else in the group did spot her.

Victoria turned to her husband. "What the hell is she doing here?" She demanded of her husband as if he owned Bella.

James look confused at first, and then saw Bella.

"Are you stalking us or something?" This time Victoria spoke to Bella directly. Bella's eyes met Carlisle's who recognised her from the other night, and then they met Edward's green eyes.

Bella did not know what to do, so she fled.

Edward was extremely confused about what had just happened. He stepped to go catch up to Bella, but Victoria's words stopped him.

"I thought that little home wrecker was out of our lives. The nerve of her, to show up here at our seats. Not to mention, she clearly lied to you when she said she was pregnant. She was obviously trying to get our money or something."

"Actually, she's here with me," Edward replied angrily. "And in case I'm not mistaken, these seats are for competitors and their guests. Your seats are up there somewhere, correct?" He did not wait for a reply. "So, when my date and I get back to _our_ seats, you better not be anywhere near here." Edward knew he would have to explain his public outburst to his parents, but for the moment, all he wanted to do was catch up to Bella.

Edward bolted down the stairs and jumped over a railing trying to catch up to Bella. When he did, she was just about back at the main grandstand. When Edward caught up to her, Bella's face was pale and she had tears running down her cheeks. She was clearly embarrassed to be so upset in public, because she ducked her head down when anyone looked toward her. Edward quickly closed the distance between them and pulled her against his chest, hiding her face from people's stares. "How about we go to the barns," Edward suggested." You can meet Alice's diva of a horse." Bella nodded into his chest.

Walking with an arm protectively around her, Edward let Bella lean into his shoulder. He was doing his best not to display how upset she was to everyone around them. When they reached the barns, Edward took Bella down to the end where Alice and Emmett's horses were. "This first one here is Ranger, Emmett's horse, and the one on the end is Zhara, Alice's beast." Bella stepped up to Alice's horse, and reached up to pet her nose. "Careful, she hates people, "Edward warned, but he was too late. Bella was already right up to the horse. Edward lunged forward in case Zhara snapped at Bella, but surprisingly, it did nothing.

"She's sweet," Bella said.

"The only person this horse doesn't bite is Alice. I'd have my hand bit off by now," Edward explained.

"Maybe if you didn't call her beast, then she'd be nicer," Bella murmured as she slowly rubbed the horse's neck.

"You sound like Alice."

After a few minutes with the horses, Bella had calmed down. "I owe you an explanation," Bella finally said. "I shouldn't have run off, but I was not expecting to see the Stanton's there."

"If you aren't ready to tell me, it's okay. I sent them away, anyway. They are back at their seats, and they're nowhere near us."

"It's okay." Bella paused before continuing, "Remember when I told you that I used to be a teacher?"

Edward nodded, instinctively knowing that she didn't need his words .

"The Stantons are the reason that I no longer am." She stepped back from Zhara. "I taught James' daughter. I knew her parents were divorced year ago, because her student file clearly stated that she is not to see her mother due to a custody agreement. When James came in for a parent-teacher interview he was a smooth talker, and he asked me out. We started seeing each other, and he always used his daughter as the excuse for why we never went to his house." She shook her head at her own stupidity. "It turns out he had remarried since his divorce, and that was why I never went to his place. His wife found out, and he blamed me. He told Victoria and the school, that I was basically stalking him. I was fired, and I knew I'd never get another teaching job in the province."

Edward instantly saw red, and he wished he had done more than just yell at Victoria. He took a deep breath and focussed on Bella. "You are unionized though, right? I know I read that somewhere, but don't ask me where. You could have gone to the union."

"I thought about it, but if the situation became public knowledge, Bree, James' little girl, would get hurt. I couldn't do that to her," Bella explained through new tears..

Edward hugged her again, "Oh, Bella, you are far too nice. You need to take care of _yourself_ every once in a while, sweet girl."

"I know, but I was hurt and..." She stopped.

"And?" He was sure he knew the answer because of Victoria's earlier rant, but he waited for her to say it.

She stepped back and began to pace back and forth before she replied. "I was pregnant. I didn't just want to protect his child, but mine, too. The last thing I needed was to bring a baby into this world surrounded by legal issues, a resentful father, and any other drama that the situation brought with it. I made a tough decision, but I know it was the right one."

"You shouldn't have been forced to make that decision, though. That guy's a complete ass." Edward shook his head and balled his hands into fists.

"Yep, he really was, but he put on a good act. I was stupid and never should have fallen for it. I couldn't really regret it though, because of the baby. Babies aren't mistakes, Edward, and they can't help who their parents are." Her shoulders were hunched over, and she couldn't make eye contact with Edward. She knew what she was going to have to tell him next, and she didn't want his pity.

"You gave the baby up?" Edward hated the idea that Bella was forced to give up her child. She clearly loved children, and not getting to keep her own would be tragic.

She moved back closer to Zhara and began to pet nose again. The horse helped to give Bella the courage to finish her story. "No, I would have been due in mid August. There was an accident in April, and I lost him." Her voice broke during the last sentence, and Edward's heart broke a little bit with it. She stepped away from the horse, who sensed Bella's discomfort. Zhara snorted at Edward, apparently blaming him. Edward put his hands on Bella's arms and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

He did not know what to say; there was nothing he could say. Being there for her when she cried did not seem like enough, but it had to be. "Bella...I wish...I don't know."

"You don't have to say anything, Edward. My mom and dad . . . they wanted to make me feel better, too, but it doesn't work that way. I'm better now." She was nodding her head as if confirming her own statement. "For a while, I could barely function without thinking about my baby. It took about two weeks before I came out of my zombie-like state, and then I just went about my life as if nothing had ever happened." She stepped out of his arms, but wouldn't look at him. She knew she would get more pity, and from Edward, she didn't want that. "If I stopped for too long and thought about it, I would break down again.

"No one at work knew I was pregnant. I think a few people suspected, but when I came back after the accident, and stopped gaining weight, no one said anything. I was five months along when it happened, but I wasn't very big. I hid it with loose-fitting clothes. I didn't know my co-workers very well, and I did not want to have to explain."

"You deserve to be happy, and I am so sorry that you've had to go through so much." He pulled her back, held her in his arms again, and ran his hands down her back slowly, trying to sooth her.

"I think I'm getting there. I tell myself that maybe it all happened for a reason and that I wasn't ready to be a mom, yet."

"You'll make a great mom someday."

She slipped her arms underneath his and rested her cheek on his chest. "Yeah, but not yet. It's taken a few months now, but I feel like I'm finally moving on."

"Can I help? Is there anything I can do?"

She looked up to meet his gaze and smiled. She didn't see pity, she saw care and compassion, but not pity. "Just be the same guy you have been for the last two days," she offered. "Edward, most guys would have run away at 'I was pregnant,' but you stood here and asked how you could help. I met you two days ago, and I just dumped all my drama on you. Logically, you should be running away. I would be running away, if I wasn't stuck in my own body."

"I'm not that guy, Bella. It sounds like you've had all kinds of assholes in your life, but I can promise you, I am not one of them."

"Thank you for not running." She lifted herself to her tiptoes, and gave him a quick kiss. "We should go. We've missed a bunch of the rodeo already."

He looked over her head and out the barn back towards the grandstand. "Are you sure you want to go up there? We can go somewhere else."

She took a deep breath, and turned so that she was standing next to him. He kept an arm wrapped around her; neither wanted to break contact. "I'll have to face your family eventually. They deserve an explanation for that lovely display back there."

"They don't need it right now, though."

"Stop protecting me, I'm a big girl." Bella slipped under his arm, and took hold of Edward's hand. She began to walk toward the exit of the barn, pulling his arm behind her. He followed obediently.

They reached the Infield again and headed up to their seats. Alice stood up when she saw Bella. She hurried down and gave her a hug. "I don't know what happened, and I don't need to know what happened, but please tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay."

"Good, now come sit." Bella followed. Edward could not help but love Alice for her simple way of meddling just enough to make things better.

Alice introduced Bella to their mother, Esme and Rose. He had a momentary worry about whether or not Rosalie's pregnancy would be tough for Bella, but she did not seem fazed, and he admired her strength.

Edward sat down next to Bella and wrapped an arm around her. She smiled up at him. He hoped that she had not slipped back into her act that she gave the rest of the world. He wanted her to feel like she could be herself in front of his family. It was far too soon to be thinking that way, but he couldn't help it.

By the final event, Edward realized that he had not thought about the rodeo at all. In fact, he had missed the entire bareback competition. It was not because he and Bella were gone then, but because he had been thinking about her the entire time.

"Bella, would you like to come to dinner with us tonight?" Esme asked, leaning in front of her kids to see Bella. "We are going to the restaurant in the tower."

"The 360? Oh, it's really cool. Every hour or so it revolves so that you get to see the entire city," Bella enthused and then paused. "Sorry, love to join you."

"Excellent," Carlisle replied. "Let's see if you still are interested in this one after you spend a night with his family," he teased as he slapped his younger son on the back.

"Oh!" Esme glared at her husband. "Do not listen to him. If anything, we should be a selling point for Edward."

"Some of us at least," Alice added. "Maybe Emmett should skip dinner." She playfully punched Emmett in the arm.

"Ouch, that one hurt a bit," Emmett joked, referring to both her statement and her little punch. "It doesn't matter though, Bella's already met me."

Edward shook his head. "You guys are exhausting." He turned to Bella. "I wouldn't blame you if you decided not to join us."

"Of course not, this is great. I will definitely be there."

"Excellent, our reservation is for six." Esme turned back to watch the rest of the rodeo.

When the rodeo finished, Bella headed out with Edward. The rest of the family was heading to the barns to see some friends from the circuit, and to check up on their animals.

"How are you doing?" he asked her as they reached the gates of the Stampede grounds.

"I'm good," Bella replied easily. She felt it, too. The afternoon at the rodeo had started out as a disaster, but as it went on, Bella had to admit she had a wonderful day.

The Cullen family was not like any she had even met; they just seemed to work. In a time that half the world was divorced and broken families were commonplace, Bella loved that people like the Cullens existed. She felt that throughout dinner, too. As the restaurant slowly spun around, showing them the beauty that was her city, Bella felt more at home than she ever had before.

She had to admit, though, the thought scared her. She was falling hard and fast for Edward, and his family was helping her fall even faster. It was too fast, Bella thought, and she was terrified that someone would wake her up. She was not the type of girl that had whirlwind romances, or even dated decent guys. She was not the type of girl that these things happened too. The last time she jumped in too fast, she was burned, but it did not seem to stop her from trying again. Edward was different, and she knew that, but nothing was ever certain. She worked so hard to get her life back together, and slowly she was getting there, but then a pair of green eyes scrambled everything up again. Was he worth the risk?

The last twelve months was a time of major change in Bella's life. It seemed that every few months, fate threw something else in the mix just the shake things up this time, it was Edward.

Conversation flowed throughout the entire evening, and when Edward walked Bella home from dinner, she could not keep the smile off her face. "I adore your family."

"They can be a lot to take in, but as far as families go, I've got it pretty good."

"I think you won the jackpot. They're like something off a TV show. They all get along, there is no animosity, and everyone clearly loves each other. I want to adopt you guys or something, so that I can have my own perfect little family."

"They loved you, too. You fit right in." Edward's innocent comment made Bella stop walking, and reason got the best of her. He stopped, and turned to her.

"This is crazy." She finally had to address the situation. "Don't hate me for bursting this little bubble of perfect, but how is this even possible? Edward, I barely know you. We just met, yet I'm picturing myself in your family. You are, too, - I know it. But it's just not possible. Seventy-two hours ago I didn't know your name. We need to slow down, step back, and re-evaluate this. "

He put a hand under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. "It's not normal, but it's not impossible, either. Bella, I know it's crazy, but some things just are. You caught my attention from the moment I first saw you at that restaurant, and your cute little comment about apologizing hooked me in. If I hadn't met you at the bar five days later, I'm sure I'd have met you somewhere. I'm drawn to you, Bella, and I couldn't help it even if I wanted to. I always knew there was something special about Calgary. It just took a few years for me to figure out that it was you."

"How are you so sure about it? I'm terrified."She wished she could give in and trust her feelings as easily.

"You're terrified because some asshole messed with you head. You're terrified because your parents didn't stay together. You're terrified because at the end of it all, you're right, it doesn't make sense. All I'm saying is that although it might not make sense, it doesn't change the fact that it's true."

What he was saying resonated with her, but there was still too much uncertainty. They had a million things they needed to figure out before they started talking so seriously. The fact that she had met his family after two days was abnormal. The fact that they were talking about her being part of that family was insane.

"It might just be a passing thing, lust for starters. I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone, but you don't base a relationship on that," Bella began. "It's also new and exciting, but who is to say that it won't fizzle out in a few more days?"

"Oh believe me, the want is there for me, too. I can't look at you without reacting, but I also know that this isn't just about sex, Bella. Maybe you're right. It might fade out, and we might go our separate ways, but what if it doesn't? How will we ever know if we don't try?" Edward paused to gather his thoughts before continuing, "I am not usually one to believe in luck, or fate, or whatever this might be. I'm a firm believer in the fact that we need to work for what we want, but something brought me to you. There is a reason we met, and I think we need to figure out what it is. I don't want to slowly and dip my toes in the water, I want to jump into the deep end."

"I'm a little scared," she admitted.

He pulled her into a tight hug. "Good! Carlisle once told me that the day jumping on the back of a bucking horse doesn't scare you a little is the day you need to stop riding. Being scared makes everything worthwhile in the end. Let's not worry about how long we've known each other; and let's just be together."

"Promise you won't hurt me. . . at least not intentionally?"

"Bella, that's the easiest promise I've ever had to make. You are safe with me."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 –

The next few days went by extremely fast. Bella and Edward spent almost every spare moment they had together. Bella was grateful that she had not cancelled her vacation request for the week; after Renee cancelled, Bella had considered it. She and Edward attended the chuckwagon races and Grandstand show on Sunday evening, and because Edward competed on Tuesday, they decided to spend the afternoon relaxing at Edward's hotel on Monday.

As Bella changed into her bathing suit in Edward's hotel room, he stood on the other side of the bathroom door and seriously considered skipping the pool. At least in jeans he could hide how much he wanted her, but in swimming trunks, it would not be as easy.

When Bella came out in a black two-piece bathing suit he stopped short, and actually dropped the shirt he was holding. "Holy shit! Bella, you cannot wear that."

Bella looked down at the bikini. "I thought this one was pretty modest. I could have worn a string bikini."

"Fuck, don't even mention string bikinis. If you wear that Bella, I'm not going to be fit to go out in public." She could not hide her grin.

"Well, you're going to have to find a way because I want to go swimming. You tempted me with a swimming pool, and now you need to follow through." She wrapped a towel around her, and slipped on her flip-flop sandals. "Come on."

He sighed, and pulled a t-shirt over his bare chest. "Okay, let's go."

He walked to the door and opened it for her. She stepped out and he came right up behind her. "Don't move or I'll get thrown out of this hotel for inappropriate behaviour."

"I'll hide you." She teased as pressed against him and he groaned.

"You are going to pay for that, Miss Swan."

"Promise?" She looked up to him, and winked. He knew it would probably be him that would be paying all afternoon.

They reached the elevator and Bella turned around when they got inside. Her arms went around him, and she slipped her hands under his shirt, and ran them up and down his back. With a grin, he bent down to kiss her, but the elevator door opened.

In stepped an older couple; the lady looked at the two of them and gave them a look that suggested she did not approve. She turned to face the door with an irritated sigh. Bella turned around and stood facing away from Edward. He tried very hard to suppress a laugh; it felt like they were high school kids that were just caught kissing under the bleachers.

The pool access was on floor two, so the door opened on that floor. "Excuse us," Bella squeaked, trying to hold her laugh.

Edward could not resist. "Have a nice day, sir. . . ma'am," he said with a smile as the door closed. As soon as it closed, Bella burst out laughing.

She punched him in the arm. "You are terrible, Edward Cullen. Did you see the look we just got from her?"

"I don't think I could have missed it if I tried. I haven't gotten that kind of look since high school." He rubbed his arm mocking her.

"What did you do in high school to deserve that?" They headed down the hallway toward the pool.

"My first girlfriend's dad; he was not impressed that his little princess was seeing a lowly cowboy. He thought I was trouble."

"He was probably right."

"He was definitely right, but he didn't even know me then." They opened the door to the pool area and found it fairly crowded. There were a few families in the pool area, and three older men in the hot tub. "Oh, this is going to be torture," Edward groaned.

"How so?"

"With all these people around, there is no way I can spend the afternoon teasing you the way I'd like."

She turned to him with a mischievous grin. "That's half the fun; they aren't going to stop me." She threw her towel on a deck chair, he dropped his beside it, and she walked toward the hot tub.

She slowly stepped in and walked to the far side. Edward followed right behind her. He sat down first, and she sat right beside him. "This is nice," she said softly. "Why is this the first time we've come here?"

"I have no idea," he replied as he slipped farther into the water to relax.

After a few minutes of silence, Bella's gaze caught that of one of the men in the pool, and she smiled. "So, where are you all from," she asked the group.

"Manitoba," the one closest to Bella replied. "Came out west for the Stampede."

"Was it worth the trip?" Depending on where they were from, it was a long drive to Calgary.

"We'll see; it's been forty-seven years since I've been out here, and a lot has changed."

"Well, I've been having a great time, so far," the man in the middle piped up. "Larry here is just an old crank." The man threw a challenging look to the grumpy Larry before he continued. "My brother, Harv, and I come out every year for the Stampede." He nodded toward the third man. "We finally convinced Cranky to come out with us. I'm Roger, by the way." He held a hand out.

Bella reached across the pool and shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Bella, and this is Edward."

Edward also shook the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," Harv said. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from here, born and raised, but Edward is visiting from Texas. Don't hold it against him, though," she joked. Edward smiled at her joke, but he planned to make her pay for it.

Underneath the bubbles of the jetted hot tub, Edward reached a hand under the water, and placed it midway up Bella's thigh. She quickly glared at him, silently warning him not to try it.

He did not listen. His hand slowly made its way up her leg until he could feel the bottom of her bathing suit, and then it moved farther over. Slowly, he let his fingers slip between her legs.

Bella squeezed her legs tighter, but he continued his exploration with his fingers. He slipped them farther in and the grazed her sensitive nub; she shifted a little at the contact, and he took the chance to slide his hand farther down.

As this was going on, Bella was forced to continue her conversation with the unsuspecting gentlemen. She tried a few times to distract Edward by bringing him into the conversation, but he had no trouble multi-tasking. He could tell how aroused she was getting because soon she gave up trying to fight him. She was clearly having trouble focussing on the conversation given what he was doing; there was no way she could do all that, and try to fight him. Her legs spread wider, and he continued to rub her on the outside of her swimsuit.

"Yeah, at the end of the week we are going out to spend Saturday night at the Bar-U ranch, have you ever..."

"Yes!" Bella burst out, cutting Harv off. "Yeah, I've been there. It's so nice, you'll love it."

Edward forced himself not to laugh. "I've never been, but I've actually heard of it. Maybe someday I'll have to check it out. Especially if this one is so _passionate _about it." With his free hand he tapped her nose when he said 'this one.'

Bella was ready to kill him, and he knew it. She put her hand on his arm and squeezed as tight as she could. A second later, a little boy jumped right into the middle of the hot tub. He splashed everyone, and the distraction gave Bella a chance to glare at Edward, and then shove him. She made sure to put about a foot of space between them.

Edward never would have done that as a kid; his mother would have killed him for being that ill behaved, so he would not have even tried. He was sure, however, that Bella was happy that the kid was not well behaved. Bella gave him a satisfied smile; yeah, he would pay for it, eventually.

.The older gentlemen left a few minutes after the boy's mother and siblings all came into the hot tub. It was a little crowded, and a little too much energy for the older guys, but Edward just laughed - he enjoyed watching the children play.

"Hello, what's your name?" the boy who had jumped in asked Edward. He came right up to his face, invading Edward's personal space.

"My name is Edward, what's your name?"

"Jordan. You talk weird," his mother quickly scolded him for the comment.

Edward just laughed. "From my end, it's you who talks weird."

Bella leaned in and winked at the boy. "No, it's definitely him that talks weird." The boy smiled triumphantly. Even at his age, he already knew that the woman was always right.

"Did you see the splash I made?" He turned back to Edward.

"I did, yes, but I bet I can make a bigger one." He pointed to the pool.

"Of course you could, you're bigger." He stopped for a minute, looked at the pool then back at Edward. "But I bet if I jumped off the diving board and you jumped off the side I'd be able to make a bigger splash," Jordan challenged.

"You're on. Let's go." Edward got up out of the hot tub, winked at Bella, and hurried after the little boy. It would not bother Bella that he went to play with the kid, which was something he liked about her. Too often, the women he dated were insulted if not all of his attention was focussed on them. Instead, Bella had already turned around to talk to Jordan's mother.

Standing at the edge of the pool, Edward bent down in preparation for the jump; waiting patiently for Jordan to count down from three. When he finally said go, Edward hurled himself into the air and landed in the pool in the most Un-graceful way he possibly could.

When both popped their heads out of the water, Edward reached for the side, held his hand out for Jordan, and dragged him in as well.

"Who won, mom? Who won?" Jordan called toward the hot tub.

"I'm not sure, sweetheart; I was watching your sisters," His mom replied with an apologetic tone. Jordan's face fell.

"It was definitely you, Jordan, Edward barely splashed at all," Bella quickly stepped in. The boy's face brightened almost instantly.

He turned to his adversary and stuck out his tongue.

"I think you cheated," Edward accused.

"No way! You're just a sore loser!" Jordan pushed off from the side of the pool and headed for the shallow end.

You're going to pay for that, you know," Edward said as he came up behind the boy. Jordan looked sceptical, and Edward grinned. He reached forward, grabbed the orange life jacket the boy was wearing, and lightly tossed him a few feet in front of him.

After he let go, he had an instant feeling of regret. He was not playing with a cousin, or family friend's kid; he did not even know this boy. Jordan's life jacket popped him out of the water instantly and Edward reached out a hand and tugged him back over. "You okay, buddy?"

"That was awesome! Do it again!"

Edward sighed with relief and was happy to oblige the child. Soon Jordan's sisters joined them in the pool and Edward was tossing them all.

Bella watched as Edward played with the kids in the pool. She sat with her feet in the water of the pool; it felt a little cold after the hot tub, so she wanted to acclimate herself before she jumped in. Suddenly, there was silence in the pool and she glanced over. Three kids stared at her with grins of anticipation on their faces. Edward was noticeably not with them. Glancing around the pool she did not see him underneath the water, and realised he must have gotten out.

Her realisation came too late and she felt his hands on her back. Water instantly filled her nose and mouth and she came up sputtering. Strong arms quickly wrapped around her and steadied her; he did not let go until she had her hands on the side of the pool.

"Are you, okay? I promise I wasn't trying to drown you."

She cleared her throat. "I'm fine; but you are going to pay for that one, Cullen." She took her hands off the side of the pool and dunked him under. Leaving him there, she swam to the shallow end. The children were laughing as Edward followed her.

"Oh, you think that was funny, do you?" he asked the three. Their smiles dropped and they scattered in different directions. Edward caught them with little effort, and continued with his game of tossing them into the water.

Bella went back over to the children's mother. "Your kids are great," she said with a smile.

"They are having so much fun. You and your husband are great with kids. Do you have any of your own?"

"No, we're just dating right now, and no kids; Someday maybe." Bella refused to think that far ahead, but if it ever did happen, Edward would make a phenomenal father. She watched as all three kids attacked him with splashes.

"I hope you do someday." The young mother turned and smiled at the group playing in front of her.

"Thank you," Bella replied, looking at Edward.

The children played with Edward for another twenty minutes or so, and then their mother got them out of the pool and they headed to their room.

"Sweet kids; I thought for a minute they were going to be little brats after he jumped into the hot tub, but they were good," Edward commented as he swam over to the steps of the pool where Bella was sitting.

"She's got her hands full; she's a single mom and she works two jobs. They won a trip here for the Stampede through a radio contest." Bella could not help but think that her own life could have been like that.

"What's in your head?" Edward asked. He could tell that she was deep in thought, so he swam up behind her and began to rub her shoulders. He found that it seemed to relax her.

"I was thinking that I could have been like her. I would have only had one child, but I'd be in essentially the same boat in a few years. Struggling with money, no free time, and always trying to make the most of a bad situation; I guess I just sort of realised that there might be good that comes from tragedy." She swam away and stopped several feet away in the pool.

Edward followed, and wrapped his arms around her.

"She's obviously a great mom, but someday when I have children I want them to have a great mom, and a great dad. I want to know for sure that I'm ready to have kids, both emotionally and financially. I'm sure it makes the entire process a lot easier. It still hurts; it will always hurt a little, but I think I can make peace with what happened. Did you see her face when Jordan asked her if she saw his splash? It broke my heart to see how sad she was that she'd missed it." She leaned into his shoulder.

"Jordan too; he craves attention. He wants adult attention, and I don't by any means want to suggest that being a single mom means you cannot give attention to your kids, but it's easier with two parents. You would have made a great mom; like her, you'd struggle, but you're strong Bella."

"I feel a lot stronger when you're around."

"I'm not going anywhere just yet." He kissed the top of her head.

"Good."

They left the pool soon after. When they arrived at Edward's room, they changed into comfy lounging around clothes after deciding on an evening in with room service and a movie.

Their food came quickly, and as they ate they talked about the rodeo the next day. Bella was attending as his guest, so she would get to stay back behind the scenes and watch from the chutes, and she could not hide her excitement for that.

"You have no idea how amazing that sounds!" Bella said with a girlish squeal.

Edward laughed, and reached his hand across the table to cover hers. "It's a big part of my life, and I want you to get to experience it."

Bella smiled. "I know how much the rodeo means to you, and I am flattered that you want to include me. It's a once in a lifetime experience."

"I hope that it isn't the last time you get to do it with me." He stood, bent over the small table, and kissed her.

They settled down on Edward's bed afterward and decided on the new Sherlock Holmes movie. The casual atmosphere lasted for about ten minutes before Bella decided that she was getting a little tired of the southern gentleman, and wanted a little bit more reckless cowboy.

He was about to get his payback for the teasing at the pool earlier, and he had no idea it was coming. She rolled off the bed. "It's hot in here," she said as she took her sweater off. The tank top underneath came up with it, but just after it rolled up to expose the bottom of her breast she pulled it back down. She knew he had seen when she heard a sharp intake of breath.

Throwing the sweater onto a nearby chair, she bent down in front of her purse, digging inside for some lip balm. She knew the yoga pants she wore had slipped down and the entire top of her thong underwear was exposed.

When she turned around and stood up, she saw Edward's gaze turn back to the movie. He tried to hide that he had been watching her, but she knew better. She still did not acknowledge it yet.

She drew attention to her lips by slowly putting the lip balm on, and finished with a popping sound. Jumping back on the bed, she snuggled up close to Edward again. This time though, all that was between him and her breasts was the thin cotton of their shirts. Although she had complained about the heat, it was actually cool in the room because of the air conditioner, and her nipples had hardened. Pressed up against his side, Bella knew Edward could feel them.

He adjusted himself next to her, and it was obvious that her seemingly innocent actions were getting to him. His breathing was quicker, and there was a slight bulge in his pants. Bella pretended to be focussed completely on the movie and she slowly brought her hand up to her face.

With one finger, she began to trace her lips; slowly, so that it seemed like she was doing it without thought. It got Edward's attention and she continued; a few seconds later she dipped it just between her lips, and then slowly pulled it back out. Her eyes never turned to look at Edward, but stayed in the direction of the movie. The TV was right in front of the bed, and she could see the tent in Edward's pants growing as she did this.

Another few minutes passed, and Bella finally moved her hand. She rubbed her eyes a little and then forced herself to yawn. "I am exhausted; I can't believe it's only nine." She snuggled in closer to Edward and put one arm on his chest.

She had gotten very good at pretending to sleep. When her parents sat with her at the hospital, they rarely left the room unless she was asleep, so Bella learned to fake it. She made an effort to make her breathing seem slower and more relaxed, and she made sure every muscle in her body was relaxed. It was harder to do than usual because she was so aroused, but she made a good effort. After a minute of two she made sure her breathing was louder than it would be if she were awake, and for good measure, she pretended to snore a little bit.

She knew it had worked when Edward quietly whispered to her, "Bella?" When she did not respond, he reached for the remote and turned the TV off. He had to stretch a little to turn the bedside lamp off and Bella used it as a chance to get closer. He stretched, so she let out a soft moan and repositioned herself so that her leg draped over top of his. Her thigh sat right against the bulge in his sweats.

"Shit," she heard him say in a whisper. He tried to adjust their position a little, but Bella just moaned in protest again, and held him tight. He was still trying to be a gentleman, and tried hard not to wake her.

That was when she put her final plan into action. As she 'slept' she began to breathe a little harder, and let out quiet sounds suggesting she was having a dream – a good dream. At the same time, she moved her hips slightly. The hand on his chest moved as well; just a little lower, until it was just above the waist of his pants, touching his bare skin between his clothing.

His breathing sounded strained, and his body was extremely stiff. Still, however, he did not move to touch her. Her plan had backfired a little. She underestimated his resolve, and finally she decided to give in. She opened her eyes and looked up at his face. Edward's eyes were closed and his face was scrunched as if he were in pain – which he practically was. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?" she whispered.

His eyes flew open and he looked at her satisfied smirk. He groaned. "Well played, Swan, well played."

"Do you give in yet?"

"Give in?" He quickly caught her meaning, and groaned. "Bella, I said I wanted to do this right, be the good guy. You deserve to be treated properly."

"And right now, the proper thing to do would be to put this poor girl out of her misery, and let her have what she wants. A gentleman always does what his lady asks," She said the last part with an exaggerated Southern drawl. She slowly rubbed his chest through his t-shirt.

He lifted his head to look down at her. "Bella, it's only been..."

"No!" She poked her finger at his chest. "You do not get to use that argument. All week you have been saying that it doesn't matter how long we've known each other, that it doesn't change the way we feel. You can't use the opposite argument to avoid sex. Based on your logic, it's more important to do what we want to do, not what is normal, and I know what we both want."

"Bella, we still don't have condoms; we can't," Edward moaned in exasperation as his head fell back onto the pillow.

"I bought some before I came over," she replied. Realizing that she was not convincing him with words, Bella decided to resort to actions.

She slipped her hand underneath his sweats and she slowly rubbed him through his underwear. "Come on, Edward; I want this, and this part of you definitely wants this. Just give in. I am trying to be sexy here and you're starting to make me feel like you don't want me."

Again, her unpracticed attempts at sexy were some of the most arousing moments of his life. "Don't want you? Fuck, I want you so bad. You are going to be the death of me, Bella Swan."

"Well, you better not die before I get you inside of me," she whispered right next to his ear.

That was his undoing. He turned his head and began to kiss her. He kissed her hard, and she could tell how hard he had been holding back.

Edward stopped and pulled back. "Wait, this should be slow, meaningful . . . sweet..." he said as he shook his head, trying to focus on more than Bella's hand inside his pants.

She pulled her hand out from under his waistband and put both on his cheeks, framing his face. She forced him to look her in the eyes and listen. "I don't want slow and sweet. I want hard, fast, and dirty. I want the cowboy; not the gentleman."

A smile spread across Edward's face. "Okay then, pretty lady; you asked for it."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 -

"_I don't want slow and sweet. I want hard, fast, and dirty. I want the cowboy; not the gentleman."_

"_Okay then; you asked for it."_

Edward was a little shocked at this new side of Bella, but he knew how much he wanted her, and wasn't going to go back on it now. Flipping her onto her back, he pressed her into the pillow and ground his hips hard between her legs, making her at the friction. She bucked hers up to meet his.

He stopped for just long enough to sit up and take his t-shirt off, then Edward bent back down and pressed his lips along Bella's neck. When he got to her collarbone, Edward sucked just a little. He knew he would likely leave a mark, but it would be just low enough that one of her western shirts would cover it. Bella's fingers pressed into his shoulder as he did; her fingernails would probably do some damage of their own. After he pulled her tank top below Bella's left breast, he took her nipple into his mouth and rolled it around between his tongue and his teeth, and when he gently bit down, she moaned and dug her fingernails even deeper into his back.

As his mouth played with Bella's nipple, Edward slipped his hand lower and trailed along the inside of her thigh through her pants. He was careful not to go too far up her thigh; he wanted to prolong the torture. Bella was just so responsive to his touch, and Edward was getting lost is her whimpers and moans.

"Edward, please; just touch me," Bella begged, her voice was breathy and strained.

He pulled back from her chest and grinned at her. "Soon."

"Now!" she moved her hands and put one on top of his, pushing him up toward her core. He chuckled, but gave in and began to tease her through the material of her pants.

When she was sure that he would not stop, Bella moved her hand and it slipped below the waistband of his sweatpants and ran her hands along his ass. Soon, she decided they were both wearing far too many clothes and began to slide down both his sweats and his underwear. Edward easily caught her intention, and pulled away briefly to pull them all the way off.

He looked down at Bella. With only one breast exposed, Edward needed to see more of her. From where he stood, he slipped her pants down, but left the lacy purple thong she had teased him with earlier. At the same time, she sat up and pulled her tank top off.

Finally, he returned her and Bella delighted in the feeling of Edward's bare skin touching hers. His chest crushed hers, but the light scratching of his chest hair on her erect nipples felt phenomenal. But it still was nowhere near enough. She reached down and cupped his ass again; this time pressing him firmly into her. She could feel his hard length pressed against her thong underwear and moaned at the contact. "A little eager are we?" he teased.

But Bella was not in a teasing mood. She could feel how much he wanted this, yet he seemed to have far better control than she. "Stop fucking teasing me, I want more, Edward," she demanded as she moved one hand in between them. Her hand first went to her own body, and he watched with a smile. Edward thought she might start to touch herself, but she did not, and after wetting her palm, she took him in her hand. Instantly, his playful expression fled and his mouth dropped open in obvious pleasure. "I want this." She squeezed a little tighter and he groaned. "Inside me. Now!"

"Fuck, Bella...yes..." he grunted, but he did not finish his thought because her hand was pumping him and he could no longer form complete words. After only a few more seconds he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "Stop...or this will be over way too fast." She nodded and dropped her hand to the bed beside her.

She felt Edward step back and get off the bed. "What..." She started, but then saw him at her purse. He seemed to look for a second, but then simply dumped the contents onto the floor and found what he was looking for. Taking one condom out of the package, he returned to the bed.

"Miss me," he teased with a grin.

Before he put the condom on, though, Edward turned to her lacy little thong. "I know you were teasing me with this earlier, baby. Maybe it's your turn to be teased." He pulled it a little away from her and then let it snap back against her wet center. Her head fell back and she bit her lip, so he did it again. It didn't hurt, but she felt it hit against her clit and it sent little shocks through her. He changed his tactic, and pulled the tiny scrap of purple tight to her and rubbed the lace against her sensitive nub. The friction was excruciating, and Bella let out a groan. When he did it the second time, she surprised her again but quickly entering her with one finger, and this time her moan was deep.

Each time his finger pounded into her, Edward pressed the lace against her clit with his thumb. Bella was so close, but still anticipating how good it would be when he finally replaced his finger with his much larger cock.

Edward seemed to read her mind, because without missing a single beat, and without her noticing, he managed to get the condom on. In seconds, and with her underwear still on, he was inside her. Before she could stop herself, Bella screamed, but Edward cut her off quickly with a kiss. Her hips were soon moving in time with his thrusts. The cowboy was giving her exactly what she wanted, hard and fast.

After a few thrusts, her thong seemed to be annoying him, and Edward simply ripped it in half. If it was possible, and apparently it was, he began to push harder. "Just a little more, baby," he said to her; her eyes meeting his as he said it. "Come for me, Bella. Please," he panted. "I'm so close, I can't hold out much longer." He reached down between them and began to roll her clit between his finger and thumb. That did it; Bella came with another scream, which Edward promptly cut off with another deep kiss. Her orgasm brought him over the edge, and a few short thrusts later, Edward was spent. He rolled off her so that he did not crush her.

They lay quietly staring up at the ceiling for a few minutes; the only sounds were of their laboured breathing.

"Totally worth the wait," Edward finally said, rolling to his side.

"Are you kidding? We should have done that four days ago, and every day since," Bella replied with a grin. She rolled her head to meet his gaze.

"Well, give me a little while and we can make up for lost time," Edward bantered. His playful mood was back, and he began to draw little patterns on her stomach.

"You owe me new underwear." She looked down at her ripped ones. The band still sat around her waist, but the other piece simply hung loosely.

"If you promise to only wear ones that look like that, I will buy you a million." His finger slid under the loose piece and flicked it up. "On second thought, I forbid you to ever wear underwear again," he decreed as he slid the ruined article of clothing over her hips and down her legs. She kicked them off somewhere in the room.

Edward continued his exploration of Bella's stomach and the two engaged in some light-hearted pillow talk. Bella did not realize how long they had been chatting until she let out a yawn. "Sleepy?" he asked.

"Exhausted," she replied with a grin. "And you need lots of sleep. You have a big day tomorrow."

He pulled the covers up over them and pulled her tightly up against him. It felt right, he decided, having her there in his arms. He thought about their evening together. She had surprised him with her teasing, and he had not been expecting the sex to be like that. He had fully intended on giving her the slow, sensual lovemaking that she deserved, but clearly she intended differently. Bedroom Bella was completely new to him - and he was excited to explore. He had gotten a taste of her that first night in her apartment, but he assumed that the alcohol had been the main cause for her enthusiasm. Clearly, Edward underestimated the different layers of the beautiful girl in his arms.

Usually, he had trouble sleeping the night before a competition, but on that night he fell asleep almost instantly.

The next day Bella woke before Edward. She tried to slip out of bed without waking him, but when she saw the time on the clock, she gave him a shove.

"Edward, it's eleven-thirty. We are so late!"

Bella's shove awakened Edward from a deep sleep. He did not hear exactly what she said, but he caught the words 'eleven-thirty' and was immediately wide-awake. He, too, looked at the clock and sprang up to a sitting position. "Fuck! I was supposed to meet Carlisle at eleven." Edward jumped out of bed and grabbed his phone. "I have four missed calls. I'm surprised no one has come up here to see if I'm alive yet."

As if on cue, the phone in the room rang. Edward answered it. "Yes, I am aware of what time it is. My phone was on vibrate and the alarm didn't go...I'm up now, and I'm on my way... Be there soon... It's fine; bareback is in the second half of the rodeo... Within the hour, I promise... Love you too, dad. Bye."

Edward quickly turned to his suitcase to get his things ready, but then turned back to Bella, who had not moved.

"I need to go to my apartment, Edward. I have nothing to wear and I am not going to the rodeo in sweats and a tank top. I also have absolutely no underwear."

Edward stopped digging through his clothing and groaned. "Shit, Bella, I don't have time."

"I know; I'll meet you there. I'll just pay admission and meet you afterward." She tossed his hat on the bed, knowing he would need it.

He dressed quickly. "I can't get you back to where the competitors are if you don't come in with me."

"It's alright," Bella reassured, "I'll buy a rush seat and stand to watch. I'll just meet you afterward." She stepped up to him and helped him do up the snaps on his outer shirt.

"Bella, I want you there with me." He stopped, and put his hands on her wrist as she did up his shirt. "I have an idea." He grabbed his phone again and hit a number from his speed dial. "Hey, Rose, I need a favor."

He caught Bella's attention and her mouth dropped. "Edward! Edward!" She tried to get his attention.

He did not listen, and continued talking to his sister-in-law. When he hung the phone up he turned back to Bella, who hit him - hard enough t get his attention, but not hard enough to cause even a little discomfort. She began to pace in front of him. "What the hell was that, Edward? You basically just told your entire family that I spent the night here and didn't want to go to the rodeo in day old walk-of-shame clothes!"

He put his hands up in surrender. "It's just Rose, Bella. It's okay."

"No, it's not okay. Edward, it's not okay." She stopped pacing and spun quickly to face him. He could see how upset she was, and he realised he probably reacted too casually.

There was a knock at the door, and Bella quickly grabbed her tank top and sweats and went into the washroom to change. She heard Edward talking to Rosalie, and when she was dressed, she reappeared.

"Morning, Bella; ready to go? We'll run by your apartment, and then we can meet everyone down at the rodeo."

Edward finished getting ready and was out the door before Bella got her things organised, but three seconds after he left, he was back in the room. He grabbed his chaps and gave Bella quick kiss on the cheek. She almost turned away in anger, but decided not to put on a show for his sister-in-law. He was out the door again right afterward.

Rosalie could tell that Bella was pissed, and she felt bad. "I'm sorry about that. Unfortunately, Edward can be pretty intense when it comes to the competition of it all."

"No, I'm sorry, Rosalie. I was perfectly fine getting rush seating and seeing him afterward. I didn't want him to call you." She dug in her bag looking for a hairbrush.

"It's fine. I wasn't doing anything. I try not to go down too early to the rodeo. It's so hot in those barns, and this baby does not want excessive heat. At home I pretty much sit in front of an air conditioner." Rosalie sat down in one of the chairs, and glanced through a tourist magazine left in the room to give Bella space and time to get ready.

"Well, you shouldn't have to run around downtown Calgary, either." Bella was attempting to brush out her hair, but it was not cooperating. She winced a little as she brushed through knots.

"No, it will be nice to get out and do something. I am going stir crazy not competing this year. I'm excited for the baby, but this being pregnant thing sucks." Bella finished her hair and the two headed for the door.

Bella held the door for Rosalie, letting her step out first. "Yeah; always hot, always hungry, and always feeling so not like yourself. I totally understand." It slipped out before Bella could filter. Oddly enough, though, the thought didn't make her want to burst into tears.

"Exactly!"Rose exclaimed, turning around with a grin. "You totally get it. Emmett has no idea. He can tell me all he wants that I'm beautiful, but there is a part of me that will always think I look like a cow." She paused for a second. "Do you have kids? Edward never mentioned if you did or not." Rosalie reached the elevator and they waited while it travelled up to their floor.

"No, but I get what you are saying." Bella breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Rosalie left it at that. It had been hard enough revealing everything to Edward; she did not want his whole family to know her sordid past

After a quick cab ride to her apartment, Bella hopped in the shower and while she did, Rose made tea and picked out clothes for her. Bella came out and saw the outfit.

"I hope you don't mind." Rosalie gestured to the outfit. "I love clothes, and I just had to go through yours. Mine all look like tents right now, so you can be my personal Barbie. Plus, when you are behind the chutes you need to wear full pants and a cowboy hat. If you don't have one, they'll give you one."

"No, this is great, thanks. I've got one in my closet. I'll grab it after," Bella replied. Edward had not mentioned that, so she was glad Rosalie did. Otherwise, Bella would have shown up to the chutes in her shorts.

The pair sat and had tea and bagels, then headed down to the rodeo and arrived about fifteen minutes before it was to start. When they met up with the rest of the family, Edward pulled Bella aside.

"I'm sorry for this morning. I should have asked you, and not just stepped in." He tried to read her expression; she didn't look angry, anymore, but he wasn't sure.

"It's fine, we had breakfast and talked. Rosalie is nice. Next time, though, please tell me before you grab your phone and tell the world all my secrets? It's no big deal, though, Edward. I know you're stressed for today." She put her hand on his arm to reassure him.

"Thanks," he kissed her on the cheek. "And I promise you, last night helped to take away a little of that stress."

"Only a little?" Bella asked with a wink.

"I guess you'll have to work harder next time, Swan," Edward replied with a huge grin.

"Well, let's see how you do today, cowboy, and maybe I'll volunteer my services again tonight," she teased.

"Oh, I fully expect it, baby; I think it's going to need to become part of my pre-competition routine," he predicted, and then brought her to a seat. He had to go out into the field for the anthem, but Bella could stay behind.

The two sat together in the back area with other competitors for the first half of the rodeo. Carlisle was nearby having a pep-talk with Alice, and Jasper and Emmett were ready to go.

Jasper's event went first, and as usual, he had no problem taking top place. His 89.2 was a great score and good start to the week for him.

Emmett's event came next, and although he did not come in first, he was only one tenth of a second off the leader. Emmett's winnings for the day were not quite as big as Jasper's and it was likely Jasper would take the time to rub it in to his brother-in-law later that day.

There was a short halfway point intermission in which the tractors plowed the dirt, making sure everything was good before the ladies barrel racing began. Alice was up second in her group, and after her ride, she sat in first place. Unfortunately, the two final girls rode a little faster, which put Alice in third for the day; it was not a bad start, but Edward could tell his little sister expected better.

Bareback was the second to last event. The only one that followed was the bull riding. Edward gave Bella a quick kiss before he headed in the direction of the chutes and then tipped his cowboy hat to her. She just smiled, trying not to show how nervous she was, but he could tell, anyway. It was heart-warming to see her nervous for him. She met up with Emmett and Carlisle as Edward prepared for his ride. He was last in his pool for the day, so he knew what he had to do to win. He took a deep breath, and got onto the horse. It was already moving quite a bit considering it was not even out of the field yet.

Edward got himself situated on the animal and then put his hand into his rigging. It took him a few minutes to get it in there just right, so that he figured he would hold on for the ride. He did a mental check that he was prepared and decided he was as ready as ever.

It was hard to believe he had finally gotten himself to the Calgary Stampede. Edward took one look out at the grandstand in front of him and he smiled. It was a truly great day, and he could just tell that things were looking good.

After taking a deep breath, he finally nodded to the guys in the chutes so they knew he was ready. They motioned to the two men holding the gate, and then the gate opened and the ride began. He could feel the power of the animal underneath him and his instinct took over. As the animal bucked, he fell into the perfect rhythm. His legs went down and then, as he had done over a thousand times before, he brought his legs back up and back down. Edward lost his hat, but he barely noticed. The motion was second nature, and he kept going until the buzzer sounded.

When he heard the buzzer signalling the end of his eight seconds, he could hear the crowd cheering. He brought his free hand down to the rigging before pulled his other hand out. Then he hopped off his horse and landed across a second horse that rode beside him. When he was far enough away from the bucking horse, he slipped down to the ground and looked toward the scores.

It felt like it had been a good ride, and he hoped it was good enough. Thankfully, it was! He saw his score for the day, and he was just a fraction of a point higher than the rider previously in first place. He had just completed his first ever Stampede Rodeo ride, and he had won the day. He walked over to where he lost his hat, and gave a quick wave to the crowd, then headed back toward the chutes.

He had to get onto a horse and do a quick ride around the field as the winner of the daily event. He hopped onto a pretty brown horse, patted her on the neck, and then lightly dug his heels into her sides before pushing her into a gallop. He rode behind a female rider holding a Canadian flag, and in front of a rider that held the flag of the event's sponsor. He listened as Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" played through the speakers. He had heard it played hundreds of times over the years at the Stampede, but it never sounded as good as it did that afternoon. He waved to the crowd again and then headed off to the back of the field. He patted the horse again, and jumped off.

His first instinct was to find Bella. He wanted to share his excitement with her. He got back into the private competitor area and the brunette he had been thinking about was in his arms almost instantly.

He lifted her and Bella wrapped her legs around him. "That was amazing, Edward! You were awesome. I'm so happy for you!"

Edward pulled her into a kiss and decided that there was nothing that could kill the moment. He had done it, and as he suspected, he needed to get that feeling of accomplishment again.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 –

Bella was so proud of Edward's win and his complete happiness was infectious. She had been a wreck while waiting for him to ride. It felt like he had been in the chutes forever and she could not stop thinking about all the things that could happen to him during the ride. As soon as the gate was opened, Bella held her breath for the duration of Edward's ride – which, thankfully, was only eight seconds - and when the buzzer went, and he was safely off the horse, Bella cheered. Never before had she ever felt so invested in someone else's success. When Edward's scores came up and he had won the day, Bella realized that she was happier than she could remember being in a long time.

This happiness was still surreal to her. Bella still had a lingering feeling that her little happy bubble was about to burst. Her ability to trust in her own happiness was still fragile. A year ago, Bella had been ecstatic to have her own classroom, and then it was taken from her. When a good-looking, older guy was interested in her, he was cheating on his wife. Most painfully, just as Bella had finally accepted that she was going to be a single mom, she lost that chance, too. It only made sense to her that Edward would leave her life, too. The thought of losing Edward terrified her, but the loss of her baby had taught Bella that life was fragile, and she needed to live it to the fullest. That meant, she decided, that it was okay to jump into the deep end with Edward. She might end up hurt, and she knew it, but she had to see where they could go in the limited time they were given.

After congratulating Edward, Bella stepped aside as a crowd of other rodeo competitors spoke to and congratulated him. Bella did not follow the pro-rodeo circuit, but by the sounds of it, Edward had recently risen up the ranks, and was getting a lot of attention for it. "Just like your dad someday soon," one man said to Edward. She smiled and hoped the man was right. Edward looked up to his father, and wanted to impress him. She doubted Carlisle would ever _not_ be impressed with any of his children, but Edward seemed to feel a need to prove it.

Over the last several days, Bella caught a few little comments between the family and Edward and she was able to deduce that he was not acting like himself. From what she heard, Edward was normally completely focussed on the competition. It seemed like a shock to them all that his attention had shifted to Bella.

There was a little worry in her mind about whether or not she was taking too much of his attention. That morning came to mind. She played a large role in his being late and she made a mental note not to let it happen again.

Jasper and Alice appeared at her left. Edward was still chatting, so she turned to them. "Great job today, guys. I've never been so entertained at the rodeo - and I love the rodeo. And Jasper, congrats on getting first. What're you going to buy Alice with that cheque?"

"Good question, Bella." Alice looked up to her husband and he smiled down at her.

"Whatever she wants and then when she wins I get whatever I want."

"Yeah, right. Good try, though," Alice replied with a grin.

Edward finished talking and came up behind Bella, wrapping his arms around her. "What's next,guys?"

"We were just talking to Emmett. Apparently, they have this really great hypnotist here and he wants to get hypnotized. If Emmett is going to get hypnotized, then I intend to watch." Alice had a huge smirk on her face. "I'm going to videotape it and bring it out at all the family functions."

"Sometimes I wonder if you ever left high school, Alice," Edward said as he shook his head.

"Whatever, you'll be right there laughing at Christmas dinner, too."

The competitors had to go out to the field and greet some rodeo fans. Not every competitor did, but Carlisle stressed that it was important to show gratitude to those who support them, and the family agreed. They signed people's programs, and shook a few hands. Bella stood back a little ways, enjoying the sunlight. She was a little warm in her jeans, and her hat was making her head sweaty, but the day was gorgeous. Nothing could ruin her mood.

Edward approached her, his cowboy hat blocking the sun. "Ready to go watch Emmett get hypnotized, baby?"

"I hope they pick him. The show is hilarious and he'll have fun playing around with Emmett," Bella replied.

"I hope so, too."

The group, minus Carlisle and Esme, headed down past the midway, and to the Coca-Cola stage, where there were a few people sitting in the grass enjoying the nice afternoon. Before they found a spot, Emmett decided he was hungry, and they headed to nearby Weadickville – an area named for the founder of the Stampede, Guy Weadick. It was the best place on the grounds to get well-priced food, and they each bought a hotdog, pop, and chips.

"Garbage?" Bella asked as everyone finished their food. She grabbed everyone's garbage and threw it out in a nearby trashcan. She returned to the group and went to reclaim her seat beside Edward, but her pulled her down to sit right between his legs, instead. Bella sat back against his chest, but her hat knocked into his throat, making him cough a little. "Sorry! I'm not really spatially aware on a good day. Add this hat and I'm a hazard."

Edward plucked it off her head and set it down on her lap. "There... better." She looked up at him, and he gave her a quick kiss. When Bella looked back to the others, they all seemed to be eyeing them curiously. She was pretty sure Edward had not quite divulged how close the two had gotten.

"I want mini doughnuts," Alice announced. Jasper moved to get up. "No, you stay here and hold the spot. Bella, come with me?" she asked. Bella nodded and pushed down on Edward's knees to lift herself up.

"I'm coming, too," Rose announced. It took a few moments, but with a little help from Emmett, she got up, too.

Mini doughnuts were not far from the Coke Stage and as soon as they were out of earshot from the guys, Alice turned to Bella.

"Okay, spill."

"What?" Bella asked innocently. She had a good idea what Alice wanted to know, but she wanted her to ask it.

"About Edward. You guys are clearly pretty close now and I've never seen him like this I just want to-"

"If you're worried about him, I promise I am not out to hurt him or anything. This all came as a bit of a shock to us, too. I'm not in it just for the fun of it, or to get anything out of him. We just, you know, clicked." The words came out quickly.

"That is not what Alice meant!" Rose exclaimed, waving Bella's statement off. "We know you aren't in it for the money or anything. We've dealt with enough girls interested in a little bit of the Cullen family wealth and we can tell you aren't one of them. We just want details."

They continued to walk to the mini doughnut stand. "Yeah, I was not trying to accuse you or ask what your intentions are with my brother. We like you, Bella. It just seems like stuff is going pretty fast," Alice corrected.

They reached the line-up for doughnuts, and waited behind a group of teenagers. "I'd say fast is an understatement; it's crazy really. I just met him, but it feels like he's been a part of my life for a long time. When we spend time together, everything just fits."

"Have you talked at all about what happens after this is all over?" Alice asked. "We leave Calgary the day after the Stampede. We have a rodeo almost right after this one." They reached the front of the line and got their mini doughnuts.

"We haven't really talked about what comes next. We just want to take things as they go and see where we end up."

"Which is all fine and dandy until you are in different countries," Alice exclaimed. "Believe me, it isn't easy. Jasper is from near Houston and it was only four hours away. When we weren't on the tour we were miserable because we never saw each other." The three began to walk back toward the Coke Stage.

"I know it won't be easy, but it's only been five day. We can't start talking about the future."

"Who cares how long you've been together?" Rosalie demanded. "If it makes sense, then just do it," she said, sounding far too much like her brother-in-law.

"Edward said something exactly like that."

Rosalie stopped her before they got back to the guys, but Alice continued on. Rose waited until Alice was a few steps away. "Bella, it's crazy, I get that. From one outsider to another, though, the Cullen family is not your average family. There is something about them; they function differently." She looked over at her family and sighed. "I've loved Emmett since I was a little girl, and pretty much as soon as he actually noticed me as more than his sister's friend, we were talking about forever. I was only sixteen." Alice had made it back to the group and Rosalie smiled as Alice plopped down in her husband's lap and kissed him. Bella's gaze followed Rosalie's and she had to smile too. "Jasper and Alice met and were in love within months. It probably would have been less if they hadn't been competing at different ends of the country. They are just a little different and I mean that in the best possible way. It's hard to explain. I've known Edward since we were kids and he is one of the most calculated people I've ever met. He plans everything and he always seems to be four steps ahead of everyone else. He is a planner and for you to step in and change everything so much in such a short time is a big deal. I don't know you well, but it seems like you are falling fast, too. I just want you to get that it's okay. It's okay to fall for him. Some things are meant to be." She reached out and squeezed Bella's arm reassuringly.

Bella took a deep breath. "It shouldn't be this easy. Nothing worthwhile comes this easy." The two began to continue back toward everyone else.

"Well, I can't tell you how to feel, but I can tell you that Edward is worth it."

They reached the group again and Bella sat back down with Edward. He could tell she had something on her mind.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm great, but I think we have to talk sometime tonight." Edward's face fell. "Nothing bad, I promise, just important." He nodded, but she knew that he was worried.

Edward watched the hypnotist show silently. Emmett was hilarious. The guy had him putting on makeup and dancing around the stage to Shania Twain. When he came back to his spot on the grass the hypnotist had one more trick and made him run around in the crowd and pretend to be Miss Piggy looking for Kermit the frog. Edward watched as his family was laughing themselves to the point of tears. He laughed a few times, but Bella's previous comments worried him. He wanted to get Rose and Alice aside to find out what the hell they had said to Bella. She was not herself after they went to get doughnuts.

He worried that the girls had planted some doubts in Bella's mind and he wanted to kill them for it. No one needed to get involved in his and Bella's business. Although rare, there were times when he wished he were part of a more conventional family.

When the show ended, Edward suggested he and Bella go and she agreed.

"Do you want to go back to the hotel? Your apartment?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "Actually, let's go to Prince's Island. It's a park along the river. It'll be a nice quiet spot to talk." He nodded and she directed him to the train. They went a couple stops and then Edward followed Bella to the park.

She was right; it was a gorgeous space with tons of greenery. A perfect place to relax, it was a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Stampede grounds. They walked to a bench that overlooked the downtown across the river. Edward waited for Bella to talk, but she did not, so he decided to try and get it out of her. "Bella..."

She sat down. "I need to know what's going on, Edward. I know we've been talking about figuring it all out as we go, but I don't know what that even means. In six days I go back to work and you go to the next rodeo. I'm so afraid that I'm going to completely fall for you, and then you're going to leave." She couldn't make eye contact. She was afraid to bring all this up again, but she couldn't help it.

"Bella, when I do go I won't abandon you, we'll just need to adjust," Edward reassured. His arm went around her shoulder.

"I know that, I know that you won't intentionally hurt me; you've told me that, and I believe you. I just worry that life is going to get in the way. Your life and mine don't exactly mesh well together. You always compare Alice and Jasper to us, but in reality, that was different. They were both competing on the circuit, and I bet it wasn't hard to adjust their plans so that they could be together." She took a deep breath and slipped out from under his arm. She needed to think, and thinking seemed more difficult when they were touching. She could tell it hurt him when she pulled away, but she had to do it.

She met his gaze. "We don't have that luxury. You have your rodeos, and I have a full time job that I need to keep in order to pay my rent. I can't just fly out to meet you at whatever city you're in that week. I feel like our wanting to be together isn't going to change the fact that we won't be together." She was beginning to tear up, but he could tell she needed to get out whatever was in her head. "I adore you and I want this to work, believe me, but I don't see how it can work." She stood up off the bench and began pacing in front of him.

Edward stood up and put his hands on her cheeks, and turned her gaze up to his. "I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but I think you need to know a bit more about me, Bella. The rest of the family always likes to tease me about how focused and obsessive I can be. When I want something, I don't rest until I get it." He wiped away a stray tear that had fallen. "I decided as a kid that I would be in the rodeo, and even though I probably didn't have half my father's or brother's natural talent, I got there. Sometimes you have to rely on yourself for stuff like that. As a personal rule, I don't give up, and right now, all I can think about is how I want you, Bella. I don't care how much work it takes to do it, but I promise we can make it work. I can always do a few less rodeos a year, and fly up here for a few days at a time. We can make it work."

"Edward, I refuse to be the reason you stop doing what you love." She pulled back from his hands. They remained there in the air for a few seconds before he dropped them to his sides. She turned back to the water, refusing to face him.

"I don't intend to stop, but maybe I can just do a little bit less."

She turned back to him with an appalled look on her face. "No, I won't let you. I've heard everyone around you talk all week about how much you live for the rodeo, that it is your life's work and obsession. You just said how much work it took for you to get here, and I won't interrupt that."

"But you already have, Bella!" He took a deep breath. "I used to eat, sleep, and live rodeo; it could not have been healthy. So far this week do you know how many days I've kept to my workout routine? None, because I've been with you. Did it hurt my performance today? I don't think so. Placing first at the Stampede is a big deal, the best of the best are here for this. If I can do that while spending all my free time with a gorgeous, amazing girl, why can't I skip a few smaller rodeos?

"A few days before I met you I wondered what would have happened if I hadn't become the obsessive, determined guy that I am. Emmett and Alice are able to find success, but not let it control their whole lives. I think I need to figure out how to have a life and a rodeo career. You can play a big part in that if you want to." He cupped her chin with his hand. "Don't get me wrong, if you want out I would never stop you, but it has to be for the right reasons. Don't do it because you are afraid how it _might _affect my career. Especially since it clearly hasn't hurt me yet." When he finished speaking, he inched closer to her until she was in his arms, her head tucked up against his chest.

"_Yet_ being the key word." She looked up to meet his gaze. "How many months have you been preparing for the Stampede? Probably since they invited you. So, spending this week with me doesn't change the fact that you were already fully prepared for this rodeo. When you are spending your off weeks flying up here, you won't be able to prepare."

"I don't understand what you are saying, Bella. You wanted to talk about our futures, yet now you are talking like there is no future."

She wanted to snuggle closer and pretend that she wasn't afraid, but she had to get it out. "I know that, and I know I told you it wasn't anything bad, but maybe it is. Maybe trying to sort out how this works after the Stampede means that it does not work. Maybe there is no 'after the Stampede.' We've been acting all week like we have all the time in the world, but in reality, we have six days.

"I am unbelievably happy when we are together, Edward, but we won't be together, and I don't know how that works. I don't want to go back to how I was before I met you. I was bored, living on autopilot. I went to work and went home. I don't know how to avoid that loneliness at this point, because whether we try to make it work or not, I get that isolation, and I get the heartbreak of not having you here. I'm terrified of going back to that really dark place I've been for the last little while, and losing you, even temporarily, would do that, or worse. Maybe we made a mistake. We should have waited and moved slower."

She tried to pull back from him again, but this time he would not let her. Pulling back felt like running away, and she was not going to run, not if he had any say in it. "Well, we didn't wait, we didn't move slow, and now we get to work with what we have. Bella, I know this can work. I promise you, it will work if we want it to. If we truly want to be together, then we'll figure out a way to be together. It won't be easy, but considering how easy everything else has come together for us, I'd say we're due for a little adversity."

"I'm done with adversity."

"Bella," he said as he kissed the top of her head, "I think that you and I are worth it. We can put up with the adversity because this time, the result is worth it."

"I'm just so afraid we are going to become another thing for me to hate about my life. Nothing has ever gone the way I want it. Believe me, I want this to work so badly. I would do anything, but I'm so afraid that it can't. What if it doesn't, and then every year when I go to the Stampede all I can think about is how I lost you, too. I have so many recent bad memories from around Calgary. I don't want another. I don't want the Stampede to be ruined for me, too."

"Well, what if I said that we could be together? We could get away from all those bad memories and you could still always have the Stampede?"

She lifted her head from his chest, and eyed him sceptically. "I'd say you've solved all our problems, and I'd ask how."

He grinned. "Come to Texas with me."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 –

"_Come to Texas with me."_

Bella's head flew back from his chest. "Edward, I'm being serious."

"So am I! Tell me why that isn't an option at this point. You are bored to death with your job, your parents aren't here anymore, and you just said that you have so many bad memories associated with this place. You could make a clean break, Bella. Come home with me, apply for your teaching certification in Texas, and do what you love doing. You don't think you can teach here again, so why not teach in Texas? I can guarantee your private school in Calgary can't ban you from teaching there."

"We aren't there yet, Edward, and you know it," she said in barely more than a whisper.

He sighed in frustrated. "Okay, but Bella come on; you are acting like our only option is to end it. I will do anything I can to make this work." He cupped her chin. "We could at least try long distance. At least try; if we can't make it work long distance then we'll deal with it then. We can't guarantee it won't work until we try."

She leaned into his hand. She wished that she could have the same faith in the relationship that Edward did. "I know, but I am so scared of going back to that place. Edward, I spent months in the darkest place I've ever been. The world is working against me, and I am sick of it. I don't want us to become just the next thing on the list of my personal disasters."

She pulled bad and stepped out of his arms, and turned from him. She felt like she needed space, that if she didn't touch him, she could keep her head on straight.

He had other ideas, he knew that pulling back would put more space between them; he craved that contact. His arms came around her from behind. She tried to pull away, but he held her. "Listen to me Bella; we will not end like that. I can't guarantee we will be together forever; no one can guarantee that. I can however tell you this; if someone told me two weeks ago that I would be skipping workouts, not scheduling extra practices, and actually enjoying myself off the field this week, I would have said they were crazy." He turned her around and kissed her forehead. "I am not the kind of guy to lose focus on the rodeo; I never have been that guy, but this week I haven't even cared. For once, it felt like I had something else that was more important, and I don't take that lightly. There are a select group of people that I would drop everything for, and every other person in that group is either related to me, or married to someone related to me. You're in that group now Bella. I want us to work, and when I set my mind to something, I do it."

He wished he could make her understand it all. She clearly had doubts, and he knew she felt strongly for him, but it was possible that he felt more than her. He kept telling himself that wasn't the case. He wanted to believe that she felt the same, but her doubts stood between them.

"I want it too, but..."

"No buts." He continued holding her, never wanting to let go. "I want to make it work, but I need you to at least tell me you will try."

She took a few deep breaths. "I'll try; we deserve that much."

"Yes, we do." He held her even tighter in reassurance.

They walked the rest of the park and then headed back to Edward's room for the night.

When they went to bed that night, their lovemaking was much slower and calmer. Edward couldn't help but think that their first time should have been like that, but he also couldn't regret the night before. He held Bella tight as she slept in his arms. She almost ran that afternoon, and Edward was more than a little shaken up by it. He did not want to lose her; he was falling in love with her. He knew that she was not ready to hear those words yet, but he intended to do everything in his power to make sure that someday soon she would be.

The following morning Edward woke before Bella. He dressed quickly and left her a note. He knew the rest of the family was probably up, and he hoped he would see them. On his way to the cafe on the bottom floor he met Rosalie and Alice; the two people he especially wanted to see.

"Morning ladies," he greeted a little sharply.

"Morning, Edward; what's wrong?" Alice was never one to hold back her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing really; I think everything is just fine, _now."_ He looked between them, but they did not look guilty of anything... or at least they didn't let on. "Curious though; could one of you please explain to me what the hell you said to Bella to make her flip out yesterday? Everything was fine, and then after a trip for mini doughnuts, my girlfriend is terrified that we aren't going to work out." Ordered his and Bella's breakfast for the morning, and then bought Alice and Rosalie's as well.

They stepped to the side where they could pick up their food. "I was just trying to figure out how serious you two are," Alice began. "We've barely seen you all week because you've been with Bella - which is great; I am happy that you found someone, because you deserve to be happy," she quickly added before continuing on "I just wanted to know how deep you were both in it. I mentioned that the long distance thing is hard - I thought I'd give her a heads up and let her know that you guys should figure it out."

Their food was up, and Edward put his, and Bella's drinks into a take-out tray and carried the bag of food. "Oh, so I should be thanking you then? Alice, stay out of it. How would you like it if I were constantly trying to butt into your marriage?" He took a deep breath before continuing; he didn't want the entire hotel to hear the private conversation. "This is about Bella and me, and the rest of this family needs to stay out of it. Do you get that? Leave us be; let us figure out where we are going, and what we want. Stop trying to plant doubt in her head."

They reached the lobby again, where there were a few less people. "We weren't trying to plant doubt in her mind, Edward." This time it was Rose. "In fact, I told her you were worth it. We are trying to help you because guess what? We both have successful marriages." She had a hand on her hip, and looked very unimpressed.

Edward worried a bit that he may have unleashed angry-pregnant Rosalie, but he also knew that he needed to have this conversation. "Yeah, but your relationships and marriages have absolutely nothing to do with Bella and I. Stay out of it; we need to figure this out, not you." He turned and stormed past the two, leaving them standing in the middle of the lobby looking stunned.

"Wow," Alice turned to her sister-in-law, "hopefully he can calm the fuck down or it's not going to be a pretty ride this afternoon."

"Yep," Rose agreed, shaking her head. They were only trying to help after all.

Bella awoke to hot coffee and Edward waiting for her in the hotel room. Looking up at the perfect male specimen that was somehow hers, she could not help but smile. He had done everything he could to reassure her the night before. She still had some lingering doubts, but after how sweet he had been at the park and in bed the night before, she refused to worry about it.

"Good morning," she said with a smile. "And you brought me coffee; I could get used to this kind of service."

"Now that I've spoiled you, I'll have to do it every morning now." He bent down to kiss her, and she pulled him closer. He barely avoided spilling the coffee, before setting it down on the bedside table.

"However, this is the best wakeup call ever." She pulled him back onto the bed and on top of her. She was still naked from the night before and his hands ran down her side and rested on her hip. "What time do you need to meet Carlisle?"

"I have an hour; not very long," he groaned. Sitting up, he got off the bed; deciding to avoid the temptation of Bella's body. If he gave in they'd probably be in bed for hours.

"Well, let's save time then." She got up as well and pulled his shirt up over his head, which landed on the bed behind her. She reached for his jeans and undid them. "Take them off, and meet me in the shower. We can save time, and help the earth by saving water."

Bella had the water running by the time his boots and jeans hit the floor. As she stepped into the shower, Edward was right behind her. "Hello, cowboy," she greeted him as she turned to face him before he pushed her up against the cold tile wall. "Hey, baby," he responded as he bent down to kiss her. As their kiss deepened, one hand found her breast and began to tease her nipple. She moaned into his mouth and he could feel her shudder. Smiling at her response, his other hand slid down first to cup her bottom, and then swung forward and his fingers met her core. His mouth moved to her neck and she tipped her head back to give him better access.

Bella's hand did not remain motionless, either. Wrapping her hand around him, she began to pump him, as his fingers moved inside her following the same rhythm as her hand. He sped up and she followed his lead. Soon, all he could hear from her were quiet moans and he could tell she was close. When thumb begin to rub circles on her clit, her free hand went to his shoulder for support. Soon she began to pulsate around his finger as he brought her over the edge. Her movements on him had stopped, but he did not mind as he continued to rub her as she came. His lips left her neck and came back to her mouth to give her a long kiss; his other hand still massaging her breasts.

"Condom?" Bella asked after another few seconds when she seemed to have recovered enough to speak full words. He swore under his breath.

"Sorry babe, I'll go grab them." His hands left her, but she held onto him. "You're going to have to let go if we want to continue."

"Or..." she began. Then, instead of explaining, she got down onto her knees and took him in her mouth.

"Fuck...oh God, Bella..."He soon was reduced to scattered words and broken sentences. He braced one arm on the wall of the shower for support, and the other went to the back of her head and guided her movements. Not that she needed any assistance; she was extremely capable, in his opinion. "Baby, you're going to need to stop... or we aren't going to need that condom at all." Her answer was not to stop, but to quicken her movements. She used both her mouth and her hand because she knew she'd be gagging if she tried to take all of him in her mouth.

Edward seemed to get her meaning, because before long he was thrusting into her mouth as she sucked on him. He tried to pull out just before he spilled himself into her mouth, but she did not let him, and swallowed it. After a few quick breaths, he opened his eyes and looked down at her. Still on her knees, she looked up at him and bit her lip. "Holy shit, Bella; that was amazing." She smiled before she stood up.

"You did pretty well yourself, Cowboy," she said with a wink. "Now, let's clean ourselves off a little and get you ready to win another rodeo."

They made it down to the grounds on time for the day, and Edward went to do his normal pre-competition workout. They met up with Alice and Jasper for lunch at the competitor's tent, and soon after Emmett joined them. Rose was tired and needed a nap before the rodeo started.

When the rodeo began, Rosalie brought Bella to seats in the infield. Esme was already there; Carlisle stayed down at the chutes with his kids. This time, when Jasper came out for the saddle bronc it did not go as well for him, and he placed third in his group. He still stood in first place overall for the pool, but he did not win the major prize money for the day. Emmett came in second again for his pool, but he got bumped up to first place anyway since the previous day's winner had broken the time barrier and got a penalty. This was good news. At this rate, neither would need to do the wildcard day, and would be going straight to the finals on Sunday.

Bella was really excited for them. She was sitting with all the families of different rodeo competitors, and she found herself enjoying meeting the new people, and for the first time she let herself picture what it might be like to have a husband on the tour.

Everyone who knew Edward was pretty surprised to meet Bella. Esme and Rosalie made sure everyone understood that Bella was not just a temporary fling, and soon she was getting lots of interesting tips about being at home while husbands were away.

One woman, not took much older than Bella, named Emily, mentioned that Skype had quickly become her and her husband Sam's lifeline. They had a six year old, so often she needed to stay home while their son was in school. "It's tough; he wants his dad around, and I want him too, but we make due don't we, buddy?" She hugged the little boy next to her, but child simply tried to break free from his mom's grip so he could wave a sign for his dad. "Sam lives for the rodeo, so we make it work. At least with Skype, we can see each other as well as talk."

"Is he gone for long periods at a time?" Bella asked.

"Sometimes, but since this one is in school now, he has cut back a little. He does enough to make it to the National Finals Rodeo, but as much as he loves the rodeo, he loves us more." Bella nodded; their story seemed a lot like her and Edward's situation. Obviously, couples could make it work, and Bella hoped that she and Edward could be one of those couples.

The intermission of the rodeo brought Emmett and Jasper up to the seats. Emmett sweetly came over to his wife and made sure she was doing all right; that she was not too hot in the sun, or too tired to stay. Bella never used to pay much attention to the way different couples interacted, but now she could not help but try to see similarities between them and her relationship with Edward. If she could find those similarities, she thought, then she could hold onto some hope that it would work between them.

In the second half of the rodeo, Bella watched as Alice took first place in the barrel racing. In fact, she clocked the fastest time so far in the rodeo for that year. Jasper beamed with pride in his wife when they announced it. The fact that his ride earlier had not gone as well as planned seemed to be on the opposite side of his mind.

Alice rode around the field to "Simply the Best" on the back of Zhara as Bella and the rest of the audience stood and cheered Alice on. Suddenly, Bella wondered what would have happened had Alice not walked into the boot store a week and a half ago. Bella's life had changed so much because of that afternoon. Imagining the 2012 Stampede without Edward was not only difficult, but depressing, as well.

By the time it was time for the bareback riding, Bella sat on the edge of her seat while the first rider of the day came out. He was bucked off the horse, and although she would never admit it, she was a little happy to see him do so. The second rider had a pretty good ride, and his score was a good one. The ride of the day went to the third competitor; his scores were phenomenal, and they even beat Edward's score the day before. The fourth rider was also bucked off, and he was almost stepped on by the horse. Bella worried a little, and Esme could tell. She put her hand on Bella's shoulder.

"It's tough, I understand. I used to sit and watch Carlisle and I'd be a wreck. I'd watch other riders do well and then be mad, and although it's a terrible thing, I'd be happy if they were bucked off." She said quietly to Bella, who was happy to hear that her thoughts were normal. "Every time he went out there I held my breath until I made sure he was safely on the ground."

"Does it ever get any easier?"

"I don't think it gets easier, at least not for me; but you do get used to it. I won't lie, it's not an easy thing to do; watching your loved ones do dangerous things is hard. The first time Emmett got on a bull I nearly died. Watching a spouse was difficult; watching your own kids is excruciating. But, again, you just need to trust that they know what they are doing, and it usually is fine."

"Usually?" Bella whipped her head to face Esme. She knew rodeo could be dangerous, but she hated being reminded.

"Edward broke an arm when he was twelve. It was not in competition, but in practice. I seriously considered banning any of them from doing rodeo, but it's in their blood." Bella just laughed. She really loved Edward's mom.

Edward was fifth in the pool and it was his turn to get on the field. Bella sat on the edge of her chair as he got ready in the chutes. The gate opened and the ride began. The horse was on top of his game, he jumped extremely high but Edward held on. Bella held her breath until the buzzer sounded.

She wanted to celebrate when Edward got off the horse, but before she did, she looked over at the rest of the family. They were not celebrating.

Jasper noticed her confused expression. "His free hand touched the horse. He won't get a score for the ride." He explained. Bella's face fell. In bareback riding, the rider's rigging hand is the only one that can touch the animal. If the free hand touches the horse, a rider gets no score. As soon as Jasper finished explaining, the announcer informed the crowd. They clapped for him anyway, and Edward waved his hat in the air to say thank you to the crowd.

"Fuck, he never does that; I haven't seen him do that for years," Jasper said frustrated. "Sorry for the language ladies, but wow!"

It put him down to fourth place overall after the two days, and Bella could see how upset he was when he headed off the field. She sat and watched the rest of the rodeo, but was not really thinking about it. All she could think about was what Jasper had said, _he never does that,_ but today he did. The only thing that kept running through her head was that something had to be really off for him to have that bad of a day. The fact that she had kept him from his usual rodeo routine kept running through her mind. She worried that she might be the cause of his bad performance.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 –

"Come on Bella! Let's go down to see him." Esme stood, and Bella followed. They headed down behind the chutes where the competitors got ready.

Edward was back talking to Carlisle; he was unimpressed. He didn't look mad, just disappointed.

"Hey sweetheart," Esme said as she put an arm around her son.

"Hey mom," Edward replied.

Bella came up on the other side of him and slipped her hand in his. She looked up and met his gaze. He half-smiled down to her. She mouthed the word sorry to him, but he just squeezed her hand tighter.

"It's not the first time you've gotten no score Edward. Unfortunately, it happens," Carlisle said attempting to comfort his son.

"Yeah, but usually when I get no score it's because my ass ends up in the dirt. I haven't touched the horse in about four years. I don't even know how I fucked up so bad this time."

"Language Edward Cullen," Esme warned. "There is no need for that."

"Sorry mom," he replied. He turned to Bella. "Want to get out of here? I think I need a walk."

"Sure, do you want to get off the grounds?" Bella asked.

"No, we can stay on the grounds. I haven't been down to Indian Village yet this year," Edward offered.

"Neither have I. Let's go there," Bella replied.

Edward took a minute to drop off the things he did not need, and then they headed out of the grandstand. Bella could tell he was not in a talking mood. They walked in silence as they held hands.

Indian Village was the Calgary Stampede's tribute to the Aboriginal peoples of southern Alberta. The different First Nations tribes set up teepees, dressed in traditional clothing, and shared parts of their culture with guests. It had been a part of the Stampede's history since the very beginning. Bella liked Indian Village because it paid tribute to the people who lived here first. She was fascinated with First Nations culture, and had done some work with First Nations students in her teaching degree.

When they arrived at the village there was a lot going on. The Stampede Indian Princess, one of the members of the Calgary Stampede royalty, was there greeting guests. She said hello to Bella and Edward and they said it back. She was very pretty, and she looked familiar to Bella.

"It's Bella Swan right?" she asked.

Bella turned back to her, trying to put a name to the face of the woman in front of her. "Yes, hi! I'm sorry, I know I recognise you, but I can't place you," Bella replied.

"It's Leah, I teach at the high school on the Siksika Reserve. You visited for a few weeks during your practicum," Leah replied.

Bella's eyes lit up with recognition. "Yes, that's right!" Bella said happily. "I'm so sorry! Congratulations on being named Princess. I know that it is a true honor." She shook her hand.

"Thank you. You should head over to some of the teepees over there." She pointed to the left. "There are lots of people visiting for Stampede. You'll probably see a bunch of familiar faces.

"I will, thank you. I'll let you get back to meeting everyone." Bella smiled, looking over in the direction Bella pointed.

"Of course, and don't be a stranger Bella. Come out and visit us again soon."

Bella and Edward moved on. "You taught out on the reserve?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, the Blackfoot reserve. It's about an hour out of the city. I did my practicum at the elementary school, and Leah teaches at the high school. I think she does the Blackfoot language and Culture classes."

They continued to walk through the rows of teepees. When they reached the ones for the Blackfoot Confederation, Bella recognised a few faces. She saw a few of her former students. They looked so proud in their Traditional dress.

"Well, look who decided to come visit," a voice behind them said.

Bella turned around and met a familiar face. "Jacob!" she said happily.

He pulled her into a hug. "How are you Bella?"

"I'm pretty good. Look at you!" She motioned to his outfit. "I've never seen you in full dress. You look great." She took a good look at his clothing and smiled. The colours were amazing, and it really did suit him.

"It's super uncomfortable in this heat, but I like it. And look at you all dressed like a cowgirl." He smiled. "You look like a real country girl, not the city slicker you really are!"

Bella ignored his comment to her. "It's definitely different than the sweats and t-shirts you always wore at the school. Are you still teaching there?" Bella asked.

He nodded. "In fact, in September after a few staff changes I became the assistant principal. I called one of your profs. We were looking for a new teacher, but I was told you were teaching at some fancy private school." Jacob replied.

"I was, but I left there in December. Now I'm working at an office downtown."

Jacob look surprised. "An office? Bella you don't belong in an office. You should be teaching. I think we might have some openings in September."

Bella didn't want to bring up why she was no longer teaching so she decided to change the subject. "Sorry, I have been so rude! Jacob Black, this is Edward Cullen. He's competing in the rodeo this year. Edward, this is Jacob, he was my mentor teacher at the school I did my practicum at."

"Nice to meet you Jacob," Edward said with a half-hearted smile. He stepped closer to Bella and put his arm around her.

"You too," Jacob replied. "Did you guys want to come in and have some Bannock?" He motioned to the teepee.

"Oh my god yes! I love that stuff!" Bella replied. She turned to Edward. "I'm pretty sure I would have gained twenty pounds if I had been down at the school every day. I love this stuff."

"I've never had it," Edward replied.

"It's fried dough. It's amazing," Bella said. She could tell he was not in the mood to socialize with the group, but she knew they had to stay for a minute. If they didn't. it would be rude.

They went inside and met a few members of Jacob's family. Bella had met his father Billy when he did presentations on Blackfoot culture at the school, but she got to meet a some of his cousins and extended family. They were served the bread and Bella was so excited. It had been a long time since she had bannock and was glad they had come to visit.

Edward stayed mostly silent during the exchange. Finally, he squeezed Bella's hand to get her attention. "I'm feeling a little sore from the ride." He complained. "I think I might want to head back to the hotel."

"Yeah, of course. We can go," she replied, standing up quickly. Edward Followed.

"Well, Bella if you want to stay I can make sure you get home okay later," Jacob offered.

"Oh no, that's fine Jacob. I'll let you get back to meeting your other guests," Bella replied awkwardly.

"Okay," he began slowly. "But keep it in mind about September. I know you don't want to be in an office. Email the school and we'll talk jobs for the new year." Jacob smiled as he said it.

"For sure. I'll be in touch," Bella replied. She gave him a quick hug to say goodbye.

She and Edward headed out of the village and decided to go out the south entrance of the park. It would be a longer walk back to the apartment, but it would be quiet.

"He has a thing for you," Edward said. He put an arm around her.

"He's a nice guy, but he was my mentor teacher. I'm not interested."

"I know you're not interested, you have me." He kissed her on the top of her head. "I'm just saying that he is."

Bella could not help but smile a little. Edward was acting a bit more like himself.

"I'm sorry we got stuck there. I know you just wanted to have a quiet walk." She did feel bad. He was the one who needed cheering up, and she was the one having fun.

"It's fine. I just need some time to get over that awful ride." He stopped walking and turned her to face him. He cupped her cheeks. "Don't feel bad Bella. I'll have bad rides now and then. It happens. You can't drop your life just because I got no score."

"I know, but it means a lot to you. I want to be there for you."

"You are."He kissed her forehead.

They turned and continued walking.

Bella wrapped her arm around his waist, and his settled on her shoulder. They walked back to Edward's hotel.

"Do you want to come up?" Edward asked. "I was thinking I might just have a quiet night in. You are welcome to join me."

Bella thought about it for a minute. "I should probably go home. I need to call my mom. I haven't talked to her at all this week. I also need to do laundry, because I'm out of shorts to wear."

"Yeah, for sure. If it means I get to see you in those adorable little shorts of yours then definitely go do laundry." He bent down and kissed her. "I'll miss you. Can I come get you tomorrow morning?"

"Sure. Get up early and we'll take the train down to the mall for a pancake breakfast. You need to get the full Calgary experience, and you can't do that without going to a pancake breakfast."

"Sounds great." He kissed her again, and then headed inside.

Bella walked quietly back to her apartment. She still felt bad that Edward had done so bad in the afternoon. She could not shake the idea that she was partially to blame for that. She had wanted to stay with him at the hotel badly, but maybe they needed a little bit of space.

When she got back to her apartment, she saw that her mother had left another message on her machine asking where she was.

She dialed her mother and she picked up after two rings. "Bella! Is that my Bella? My daughter who is too busy to answer any of her mother's calls."

"Hi mom," Bella replied with a laugh. She dropped down onto the couch. "I'm sorry."

"You better be! I want all the details. What concerts have you seen? How's the food? Anything interesting at the rodeo? Chuckwagons?"

"Slow down mom! The food is great. Deep-fried everything is always great. I have only been to one concert so far, the centennial fireworks are amazing, and the rodeo and Chuckwagons have been good. I went to Indian Village today and had Bannock. Jacob Black from Siksika has a teepee there..." Her voice trailed off. She was not sure how to tell her mom about Edward.

"What else? I can tell there is more. What's on your mind Bella? Are you doing okay?" Renee was an exceptionally good rambler.

She stood up and began to pace a little. "Yeah, I'm fine, but I...well...kind of met someone."

"What!" Renee yelled into the phone.

"Ow!" Bella stopped walking and held the phone away from her head.

"You met someone? Oh Bella that's great, tell me about him. Was he one of the guys you went out with from work? What's his name? Tell me!"

Bella smiled, her mother was so excitable sometimes. "No, he's not from work. He's from Texas, and his name is Edward. He's a bareback rider in the rodeo. I met his sister at a store one day, and then she introduced me to him at the bar."

"Bella, that's great. You found yourself a cowboy. You sound unsure though."

"Mom, I know it's crazy, but I really like him. I mean, I'm falling for him." She dropped back down onto the couch again in a frustrated heap. "I am so scared because he's not from here, and he's in the rodeo so he travels all the time. It's moving so fast, but I can't stop it. I don't want to stop it. Mom I think I'm going crazy! He talked about me going to Texas and he wasn't kidding. I thought about it too. I don't know what's going to happen after Sunday."

"Bella, breathe. It's simple, you love him."

She bolted upright into a sitting position. "It's too soon for that."

"No it isn't. If he's the one, then he is the one. The only reason it took me so long to admit I loved Phil was because he was younger, and I was afraid we wouldn't work out. Bella I know you, and if you are this torn about it, then it's probably a big deal."

Bella paused for a few seconds. "I told him about James and the baby." She said it barely over a whisper.

"Now that tells me it is a big deal. How did he take it?" Renee replied. Bella could hear the surprise in her mother's voice.

"Well I kind of had to tell him. James was at the rodeo with his wife, and she saw me then flipped out," Bella said with a bit more confidence.

"Oh no, Bella, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I ran, and then Edward followed me. I told him what happened. I'm pretty sure he would have killed James if he had been around when we went back to our seats. I feel happier than I have for months, and I know it's Edward."

"That's good Bella. Remember that you can't spend the rest of your life afraid you will get hurt. If he's that good of a guy, and it sounds like he is, then he won't break your heart."

"I know, but it's not just that. He had an awful ride today, and I think I might be a distraction. He made a mistake he never makes, and I can't help but think that I've been keeping him from his normal routine." The worry in her voice was back again.

"That's normal Bella. When you first meet someone they throw everything off balance. Do you remember when Phil and I started dating? I was even more forgetful than normal. You kept laughing at me because I was such a scatterbrain. If it is meant to be, you and Edward will settle into a routine, and he'll get back on track with his riding." Renee said it as if it were the simplest explanation ever.

"How do we settle into a routine when his life is anything but routine?"

"Phil and I did it! Hell, we are travelling the continent in an RV. It took a few days of getting used to the space and the changes, but we managed. If you and this guy are meant to manage, then you will."

It was a little frustrating that her mother had an answer for everything, but that was what mothers were for right? "I hope you're right. I don't think my heart can get broken again." Bella couldn't help but think about all the heartbreak she had experienced as of late.

"You're strong Bella, and you'll figure out the best option for you."

"Yeah, we'll see." Bella sounded dejected.

"Okay, this conversation has gotten too sad. Tell me about this cowboy." Bella laughed at her mother. She was never one to dwell on unhappy things.

Bella went on to tell her mom all about Edward, his family, and what they had been doing all week at the Stampede. She felt better after talking to her mom, and when they hung up and hour later, she was reassured that it would work out.

Laundry came next. She did a load of jeans and of colours. It was about nine when she decided to get into bed and watch some TV. It felt very empty in her room. She missed having Edward's warm body next to hers as she lay in bed.

Bella gave up after flipping channels for a while, and decided to just go to sleep. She had just drifted off to sleep when the buzzer for the door went off. Half asleep, she managed to get to the speaker and press the button. "Hello?" she said with a yawn.

"Bella? Were you sleeping?" It was Edward.

"Yes, but I like waking up to you," she replied and pressed the button to let him in.

She waited by the door, and as soon as he knocked, she had the door opened. She could see the look of desire his eyes. She grinned, and pulled him to her by the front of his shirt.

His arms were around her as soon as she did. He kicked the door closed behind him. "I missed you," he said as his lips went to her neck.

"Clearly," she replied in a breathy voice. They made their way to her bedroom, dropping clothing as they went.

He lay her down on her bed and came down on top of her. He lifted himself up on his arms and looked down at her. Bella felt completely exposed to his gaze, and something seemed different. His eyes had more than the look of desire that they usually had. She was not sure what it was, but it felt like he could see right through her. "Bella," he whispered. He bent his head and his lips met hers again.

With her eyes closed, she could not see his expression anymore, but she could feel him. His fingers had made their way between her legs and she was already wet for him. He seemed to decide she was ready and soon he was inside her and Bella nearly screamed out. "Oh god Edward," she moaned as he thrust in and out of her.

It did not take long for her to reach her climax, and he was not far behind her. He settled down beside her propped up on one elbow. He began tracing circles on her stomach. "I couldn't stay away. I was in my room, and it was missing you."

"My bed felt pretty empty too," Bella replied. She looked up at his face and smiled. After another few minutes of silence, Bella began to drift off to sleep. Thoughts of their lovemaking were running through her head.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped. "Shit!" she said.

Edward looked surprised. His fingers on her stomach stilled. "What?"

"Condom! Oh my god, we forgot." She sat up quickly.

"Oh fuck! Bella, I'm sorry. I even had one in my jeans. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have just barged in here like that." She felt his body tense next to her.

She stopped for a second and thought about the situation. "It's not only your fault. I was right there with you. We can stop at the drugstore tomorrow. I'll pick up some Plan B, and it will be a non-issue. Don't worry about it. I really need to go back on the pill anyway. I never bothered after I lost the baby. Sex was the last thing on my mind then." Her reply came out far more casual than even she expected.

Edward felt awful for putting her in that position, but he had not thought about anything but getting to Bella. When he went back to his hotel, he took a quick dip in the hot tub and then went back to his room. There was nothing interesting on television, so he decided to go straight to sleep. When he tried, he kept reaching next to him and found the bed empty.

He did not intend to come over just for sex. He would have been content just to sleep next to her, but had come prepared if she wanted to. Now he felt like a complete ass for jumping her like a horny teenager without even thinking about the consequences. After everything she had been through, he hated that she needed to get the morning after pill. He almost suggested she not go get it, and that they would just see what happened. He would have stuck by her if she did get pregnant, but he knew that it needed to be her choice.

He also worried that saying it would have made her feel trapped. She was already anxious about what would happen after Sunday. He knew he wanted to be with her for the long run, but she needed to make that decision for herself. Telling her he would be there if she had baby would probably scare her even more.

She soon fell asleep in his arms. He kissed her forehead and nestled down next to her. He wished he never would have to go to bed without her again. She quickly was becoming a necessary piece of his life, and to him it was not a disturbing thought.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 –

Bella woke the next morning with a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She loved the feeling of waking up with Edward next to her in bed. Her eyes opened wide when she thought about the night before. How could they have been so stupid? She, of all people, should know the importance of using adequate protection.

She slowly slid out of Edward's arms, pulled on a shirt, and went to get some coffee. It was early. They would have plenty of time to get to the mall for the breakfast, and then get Edward to the grounds.

She heard him stir in the bedroom and poked her head in the door. "Good morning. Coffee?"

"Yes please," he said, sounding like he was still half-asleep. He appeared in the kitchen a few minutes later wearing only his underwear. She handed him the cup of coffee and he thanked her.

"I'm going to run and take a shower. The breakfast starts at nine, so if we plan to get there by nine, we can have you back to the grounds by eleven at the latest. Then you'll have some time to focus before you go out there again."

"Sounds like a plan. We'll have to stop at the hotel before we head to the grounds, though. My hat is there and I'm going to need to change. I did not plan very well last night. I don't even have a change of clothes." He pulled her into a tight hug before she headed to the washroom.

"That's fine. Do you want to go down to the hotel before we head to the breakfast?" She looked up, meeting his gaze.

Edward grinned. "No, my underwear is clean-ish, so I'll be fine."

Bella raised an eyebrow and pulled a little back from him. She glanced down at the underwear he was wearing. "Ish? That sounds disgusting."

"I put them on after showering last night, so we're good. I only wore them for a few hours yesterday before someone tore them off of me." He winked.

"Too much information Edward Cullen. Far too much." She shook her head.

He laughed and then took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm going to go shower now." Bella turned.

"I could join you," Edward said playfully.

"If you join me, we will never get to the pancake breakfast and I want pancakes." She hurried into the bathroom to shower, closing and locking the door behind her so he couldn't try to sneak in. She would not let him be late again.

When she was finished, Edward took a quick shower as well, and then they headed out. Just missing the train as they got to the station, they waited among hundreds of people arriving and heading to work. Edward held Bella in his arms in front of him. They did not speak while they waited, but it was a comfortable silence, not an awkward one.

The train arrived after only a few minutes and they headed north, to the appropriately named Northland Mall. When they arrived, it was just before nine so the food was not being served yet. There were already lots of people forming lines and the entertainment was starting up.

A country band began to play on a stage near the food lines. Bella and Edward got into line. Edward brought Bella back into his arms and began to sway with the music. She resisted at first. She only danced in public under the influence of alcohol, but eventually she gave in. She rested back against his chest and allowed his movements to move her.

Soon the food was served, and the line began to move quickly. Edward and Bella got themselves pancakes, two sausages, and juice. They sat at one of the picnic tables to eat.

"Good pancakes," Edward said with a smile.

"I know." Bella said with a bit of a mouthful, making Edward laugh. She swallowed. "One of the best parts of Stampede. Okay, who am I kidding? I love everything about Stampede. It is great though, that every single day you can get free pancakes across the city. One would never go hungry during this week."

"Nope, you got that right. I will definitely have to remember that when we are here next year." He took a big bite of his pancake.

"I'll remind you." Bella winked.

"You better." He could not hide his smile after she had mentioned the future. It was usually him that brought it up, but she was trying to take her mother's advice. She needed to see where this could go and try not to sabotage it with her fears.

They had finished their food and it was not even nine-thirty. Bella stood up, expecting them to head to the train, but Edward pulled her to the dance floor set up in front of the stage.

"Edward, no one else is dancing." She tried to get out of his grip and head off the floor.

"Who cares? I promise I'll make you look good. I won't let you fall." He was trying to convince her, but since he also would not let go, she really did not have much choice. Soon they were dancing a two-step, and a few other couples joined in. The band played a slower song next and Edward pulled her tight up against him. Bella felt content. She felt like she could spend every day like this one, just her and Edward. It did not matter what they did, as long as they did it together.

Time got the best of them and they decided they needed to leave.

"Before we go, we have to stop at the drugstore. There is one in the mall," Bella said as they cut through the mall to get back to the train.

Edward nodded in response. They headed into the mall and quickly found the drugstore. Bella hurried over to the pharmacist and told him what she needed. He grabbed it from behind the counter, gave her quick instructions about how to take the pill, and then they were on their way.

Edward had been very silent during the entire time and Bella noticed.

She put a reassuring hand on his thigh as they sat on the train. "You don't have to be upset or worried. I'm fine, and this is no big deal. I'd be here doing the same thing if the condom had broken."

Edward wasn't convinced. He felt extremely guilty. "But it's still different that I forgot to put it on. I'm not that irresponsible and should have done better." He looked straight ahead, and avoided Bella's eyes.

Bella took his face in her hands and turned his head to face her. "And I should have reminded you. It's okay. Stop worrying about it. The last thing you need is this on your mind. You need to stay focused on your ride today. Cowboy up," she said with a smile. She gave him a light tap on the cheek, trying to reassure him that she was alright. She could tell he was taking this much harder than she was. She truly hoped that it would not be on his mind all day. He needed to focus.

They continued their ride on the train, took it one stop farther than Bella's apartment, and then got off at the stop closest to the hotel. They ran into Emmett in the hallway. He was just stepping out of his room.

"You two heading for breakfast? Rose and I can join you down at the cafe."

"Nope, we went to a pancake breakfast this morning. We already ate."

"You went to a pancake breakfast without me? What the hell Edward? You know I love pancakes," Emmett pouted.

Bella laughed. "I can tell you about another good one for tomorrow morning," she replied.

"Excellent! where?" Emmett had a huge grin on his face.

"At a mall. It's only a few train stops away," Bella replied, hiding a laugh.

Emmett pumped his fist like a child who had just received a new toy. "Hell yeah! we are going to get pancakes tomorrow. You're both coming too." He pointed back and forth to each of them.

"Emmett, we just went to one today," Edward replied. "We don't want another."

Emmett put an arm around his brother's shoulder and ruffled his hair. "I don't care baby brother. You ditched us today, so you have no choice tomorrow." He turned to Rosalie who was just coming out of the room. She smiled when she saw them. "Did you hear that baby? Pancakes tomorrow," Emmett said to his wife.

Rosalie's smile fell. "Pancakes? Oh Emmett, now I want pancakes. The cafe doesn't serve pancakes." She gave him a little shove.

Emmett glared at Edward and Bella as if it were their fault that Rosalie was having a food craving. Edward put his hands up in a gesture claiming innocence.

"Bella, where can I find pancakes today?" Emmett asked. "Please tell me there is a restaurant nearby."

Bella laughed, apparently pancakes were a big deal. Good thing it was Stampede. "There are lots of restaurants, but there is a free pancake breakfast down at Olympic plaza today. It's not as good as the one we just got back from, but it's still free pancakes."

Emmett's eyed widened. "These pancakes are free? Where? Tell me." He put his hands on her arms and stared her down.

Bella gave him directions in between laughs. She and Edward continued to his room.

"How is it that you have never been to a pancake breakfast? How many years have you come?" Bella asked as she tucked herself under his arm.

"I think I remember Mom and Dad taking us when we were young and Dad still competed," he replied.

She looked up to meet his eyes. "But since then, no?"

"Nope, but thanks to you it will be a new tradition. I doubt Emmett will let us not go next year." They reached the apartment and went inside.

They thought about his reaction again and it had them both smiling. It did not take Edward long to finish getting ready for the day. Soon he was wearing new clothes. He grabbed his hat on the way out.

They arrived at the grounds. They were pretty early, but because Bella had decided to wear shorts instead of jeans, he could not take her back behind the chutes again.

"Sorry, I totally forgot," she said, apologetically.

"It's fine. We'll go out back and we can stay in the motor home for a while. I don't think I've showed it to you yet."

"No, you haven't," she replied.

He led her back behind the infield and to a large motor home that, to Bella, looked more like a bus. "This is crazy. Why does no one stay here? This thing is massive and gorgeous."

"In Calgary, we don't because it is such a long rodeo. You get sick of this thing after a while. It sleeps eight, but you don't want the seven of us in it for more than one night at a time." He winced a bit at the thought. "We use it when we are on the road and have to stay somewhere as a stopover for a night. This one trip to a rodeo in Montana, we got there and there was a mix up. All the rooms were booked. We had to sleep in this thing for six nights. By the end of it, no one was talking to each other. Since then, we always make sure to book ahead."

Bella could not hide her smile at the thought of them all trying to live in there for a week. It was a nice motor home, far nicer than the one her mother and Phil were in, but she doubted she could have spent more than a night in it with six others. "I probably would have bought a tent."

"I did," he replied. "After day four, I slept the last two nights on an air mattress. It was uncomfortable as hell, but it got me away from Emmett's snoring. It was pretty much heaven. During the day, though, we were stepping on each other's toes all the time."

"Fair enough. Sometimes it's worth it to get the hotel," she said, as she sat down on a couch.

"Did you want anything to drink? We have coke, err... soda, bottled water, or I could make some juice."

"I'll have pop please." She grinned at her little joke.

"In this motor home, we call it soda," he teased.

"Well in this country, we call it pop." She playfully stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled, and then grabbed a pop from under a counter. He held up two flavors and she picked her favorite.

"Thank you, I need something with flavor to wash down those pills. I always seem to get that awful chalk taste in my mouth when I have to swallow meds. I guess I'm not a good swallower."

"You seemed to do a fine job of swallowing yesterday morning," he said as he poured the drink into a glass.

Her face turned beet red and she threw a pillow at him. "You dirty perv! I can't believe you just said that. See if I ever do it again."

Edward just laughed. He walked over to the couch and gave her the drink. She reached into her purse and pulled out the package from the pharmacy.

Bella took the pill and handed the package to Edward. He threw it out in the garbage. "I'm sorry again Bella."

"Stop apologizing. Maybe you've been spending too much time here in Canada. You're starting to say sorry an awful lot."

"I feel bad." He sat down next to her on the couch.

"Don't. I want you to focus all your energy on today's ride. Stop thinking about this stupid lapse in judgment we made. Promise?" she looked into his eyes, wanting a response.

"Fine, I will stop saying sorry. I'll stop worrying about it." He put an arm around her and pulled her to him.

"Listen, I'm flattered that you worry about me, but you don't need to," she said into his chest.

Not long after this, the rest of the Cullen family arrived and began preparations for the day's events. Bella was recruited by Alice to get Zhara ready.

"I have never met anyone other than Alice that the beast actually likes." Rosalie stood well away from Zhara's stall.

Bella turned to Rosalie. "I cannot believe you all call her the beast. She's a beautiful horse, Alice."

"Thank you, Bella," Alice said with a grin. "Look Rose, if you are nice to her then she is nice to you."

"She doesn't even like Carlisle. Your father is the best horse trainer I have ever met." Rosalie crossed her arms, daring Alice to dispute it.

"That's true. I have no idea why she doesn't like Dad." Alice seemed to think about it for a minute, but then went back to getting the horse ready.

The rodeo was almost ready to begin, so Rosalie and Bella headed up to the grandstand. Bella felt the heat from the sun, and was glad she wore shorts. It was a hot day.

After the opening statements and O' Canada, Bella was beginning to feel sick from the heat. She looked over to Rosalie who seemed fine. "Aren't you hot out here? It's awful," she asked.

"I don't find it that bad, but maybe you were out in the sun too long with Alice. I stayed in the shade. Or maybe I'm just used to the heat." Rosalie looked at her a little worried.

"Maybe," Bella replied. She sat quietly for the first part of the rodeo. The novice events were finishing when Esme came up to join them.

"Bella, are you alright dear?" Esme asked. She looked very concerned. Bella was very red and sweating some.

"I just don't feel good, I'm sure it is the heat. It will be fine." She smiled weakly at Esme.

"You're coming to the medical area. You look awful," Esme ordered.

Bella just nodded and stood up. When she did, she was hit with a bout of nausea and sat right back down. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Okay, let's go. Rose, can you walk on her left side? I'll stay on her right, just in case she passes out." Rosalie followed directions, and slowly they made it over to the area of the grandstand set aside for medical.

The medic asked what was wrong and Esme gave him a quick explanation.

"She was complaining about the heat about forty-five minutes ago," Rose added after Esme finished. Rosalie was on her phone texting the rest of the family.

Bella saw what she was doing. "Rose, please don't tell them. I don't want anyone worried about me. They need to worry about the rodeo."

Rosalie glared back at her. "Bella, Edward would kill me if I knew you were sick and didn't tell him. Besides, as soon as he sees you aren't at the seats, he will worry. Might as well tell him."

The medic looked between the two. "It's probably just a reaction to the heat. Miss-"

"Bella Swan, but call me Bella." Her focus went back to him.

"Okay, Bella, I need to ask you a few questions."

Bella nodded.

"First, have you had much as far as fluids today?" He had a clip board and paper on it to write notes.

"As much as I usually have." Bella nodded.

"Okay, what about alcohol? Anything today?"

She shook her head, but then covered her mouth. "I'm going to be sick."

The medic grabbed a trashcan and put it in front of her and she vomited. Esme rubbed her back. It was a comforting gesture. It made Bella feel a little bit better.

"Before we go on, Bella, is there a chance you're pregnant?"

"No, I'm not pregnant," Bella replied.

"Okay, what about medications? Are you on anything? Prescribed drugs? Over the counter? Do you have any type of medication in your system?"

Bella paused. She knew she did, but did not want to say so in front of Edward's mother and sister-in-law.

The medic caught her pause. "Possibly any illegal drugs? We're not here to get you in trouble if you are, but we need to know if there is anything in your system."

Bella nodded. "Not Illegal drugs, but I took Plan B about two and a half hours ago." She decided it was probably better to admit to the morning after pill rather than have his family think she was on illegal drugs. She stared intently at her boots. She refused to look up with Esme and Rosalie standing there.

"Rose, maybe we should wait outside for a bit," Esme said. She gave Bella another quick pat on the back and then the two headed out.

Bella finally looked up at the medic. He looked apologetic. "Sorry, we just need to know what might be causing the illness. I know that probably isn't something you wanted to say in front of your mother."

"Worse, boyfriend's mother."

The man groaned. "I'm so sorry, but I do have good news. I can almost guarantee that the nausea and vomiting is from the pill. It's somewhat common and since it's been over two hours, I'm sure the pill has dispersed enough in your system. You shouldn't have to take another dose."

"Good, because I am not going to attempt to take another one. Do you know how long this will last?"

"Not too long. I'd suggest taking some anti-nausea medication, or if you have some remedies for nausea that usually work for you, take that. It should go away within a day, but if it doesn't you should see your doctor."

Bella thanked him, then headed out the doorway. She felt a little better after throwing up, but still felt gross. "I think I might head back to my apartment," she said when she reached Esme and Rosalie. She tried to avoid eye-contact.

"Nonsense, I am not letting you go all the way home when you are feeling ill," Esme said forcefully.

"Why don't you and I go back to the motor home. I know I have some ginger tea that really helped me when I was nauseous," Rosalie offered.

Bella nodded. As embarrassed as she was, she dreaded the long trek back to her apartment. The three headed back to the doors that led to the infield. Before they reached them, Edward appeared on the other side and rushed in.

"Bella, what's wrong baby?" He put an arm around her shoulder protectively.

"I'm fine, just nauseous. You need to go back to the chutes to get ready. I'll be fine. Rose is going to take me to the motor home to lay down for a bit."

He didn't look convinced. He looked her up and down, half expecting to know what was wrong just by looking at her. "Oh, Bella, you were alright earlier, do you know what's making you sick?" he asked, concerned.

"Uh, well, it's nothing. It will go away soon." She knew if she told him what caused it, he would feel even worse.

He walked back with them to the motor home. Esme headed back to the seats to inform the rest of the family that Bella would be fine. They went inside and Rosalie filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. She ordered Edward to go back and get ready, and Bella to the bed in the back.

Rosalie stepped out of the door with Edward.

"What happened Rose? Was it the heat? Food poisoning?" He turned to her, he could tell she knew more than Bella was telling him.

"No, Edward, it was a reaction to a medication she took." She was not sure if Edward knew she had taken the pill, but when she saw the look on his face, she was positive he did. "Please tell me it broke, and not that you are that inconsiderate."

"It shouldn't have happened, but it just did. We - no, I fucked up. I take full responsibility for it." He clenched his fist, wanting to punch something, but reason got the better of him.

"Yeah, except she is the one that has to go buy the morning after pill. That must have been humiliating for her. Tell me you were there with her, at least." Rose crossed her arms again, her anger was evident.

He buried his face in his palms. "Of course I was there. Fuck, Rose, I know how bad I screwed up. You don't need to beat me up over it because I have been beating myself up all morning. Please don't mention it to anyone else. She'll be mortified."

"Well your mother already knows, but I don't intend on telling anyone else. Just remember, it is always the guys job to worry about the condom. Gentlemen do not have unprotected sex and then let the girl deal with the consequences."

"I wouldn't do that and you know it. If she had told me this morning that she was against the morning after pill and didn't want to take it, I would have been right there beside her supporting that decision." He saw Rosalie's face soften. "Instead, I supported her decision to go get the pill and was right here with her when she took it. Rose, I know I've been off lately, but I'm not an ass."

"I know. But you better smarten up, Edward Cullen. Think with the head that has a brain, not the other one." Rosalie hugged him. "Now go back and get focused on that ride."

"I doubt that's going to happen." He replied as he hugged her back.

"Well, go try anyway. I'll take good care of Bella." Rosalie headed inside to make Bella her tea.

Edward headed to the chutes. He hadn't realized how long he had been gone until he was told that he was up in two riders. He met up with Carlisle and stretched a bit. Before he knew it, he was up on the bar waiting to get on the horse. He could tell it was not going to go that well, but he refused to be upset about it. He would have gone to Bella even if he had been the next rider up and would have been disqualified.

He took a deep breath as he got onto the horse and got his hand in the right position. He nodded to signal he was ready and the gates opened. He hoped he would not make a complete fool of himself.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 –

It was not the worst ride of his life, at least he stayed on the horse. That was probably the best thing Edward could say to describe the ride. He barely even spurred the entire time. He just held on and then the eight seconds were over. He was third lowest in the pool for the day, but the two below him were bucked off so it barely counted. He knew that unless he came out first the following day, he was riding the wild card on Saturday.

He sent a quick message to Rosalie that he was heading to the motor home right away. Before he got out though, a reporter for a local news channel asked if he was willing to do an interview. He was well aware that rodeo required spectators to be successful, so he smiled and agreed to do the interview.

Bella lay in the bed in the trailer. She felt a little bit better after the ginger tea, but was still feeling sick. Rosalie had been attentive the entire time, and Bella was grateful.

"Thanks again. I feel awful that you had to spend your entire afternoon taking care of me," Bella said.

"Don't feel bad. It was actually nice to get away from all the dust for a few hours. I love the rodeo, but since I've been pregnant I've had a hypersensitivity to everything. The dirt and dust in the air is terrible. Don't mention that to Emmett though. He is insanely overprotective, and if he knew that, he'd want to lock me away in here or at the hotel.

"You should have seen him when I first got pregnant. He flipped out whenever I left the house. If it weren't for Carlisle and Esme, I'm pretty sure I'd be in a bubble right now."

Bella could not help but laugh at the image that was in her mind. "He lightened up though?"

"Yes, he was a wreck all the time. Constantly worried about me. Finally Esme and Carlisle sat him down and set him straight. He probably would be out of the pro circuit now if it weren't for his parents. He was worried about me when he should have been worried about his career." She paused before continuing. "Eventually he adjusted and figured how to balance it."

"Is that a hint about Edward?"

"Yes, I know you felt bad that we told him. You were worried that he'd do bad because he was worried for you. To be honest, he probably will, but he needs to learn to do both. He needs to learn to balance being in love with someone, and the things he needs to do for the rodeo."

"Love? No, we aren't there yet-"

"I beg to differ. If it isn't love yet, it's pretty close. I have known Edward since I was a kid. He has always been pretty driven to be the best rider. A But lately that drive has turned into an unhealthy obsession. He stopped living and focused solely on rodeo. Everyone was pretty worried for a while. Then he met you. It only took a day, but he just changed. He was no longer obsessed with routine, working out, or rodeo crap. He has something else to focus on."

"But I don't want him to put me first."

"Yes you do. I know that if it came down to rodeo or me, Emmett would pick me without hesitation. I would do the same for him if it were the other way. I also respect that it would _never_ come to that. I would never let him be in a position that he had to choose. Edward is there right now. He adores you, but he loves rodeo and hasn't figured out how to have both. As soon as he does – and trust me it won't take long – he'll be happier than he's ever been. It's good that he is off because of you. If he were his normal, everyday self then it would mean you didn't mean that much to him."

"I get that, but I wish I wasn't throwing him off now. He wants this bad and I know I am a big part to blame for his worry. I'm afraid to see how bad he did today."

"Well that is partially his own fault anyway. Esme sent me a message. He scored this time, but it wasn't great. He is sitting in eighth for his pool. Unless he wins tomorrow he'll be doing wild card."

"And a big part of that is my fault."

"Bella, I've won this tournament after having to do the wild card. Sunday is anyone's game. Edward might surprise you."

"Him doing well wouldn't be a surprise. It would be a blessing. Maybe I need to step back and let him finish the week without me around."

"He'll be fine Bella. Considering how wrecked he looked this afternoon when he knew you were sick, I'm pretty sure that if you stepped back for the rest of the week he'd be worse."

"Well it might be what he needs too."

"He wouldn't go for it. Bella, he adores you and wants you around."

As she finished speaking, Edward appeared at the door. He climbed into the motor home and came back to the bed where Bella sat. "How you feeling?"

"Better. I hear the ride wasn't great?" she asked. As she did, Rosalie went back to the kitchen of the motor home, giving them a little bit of privacy.

"I've done worse. I'm just glad you're okay." He sat down next to her and tucked her underneath his arm.

"Wrong answer cowboy. I have decided that for the next twenty-four hours you need to focus on tomorrow's rodeo. I want you to do your normal routine," Bella said, sounding very authoritarian.

"Wasn't that the plan yesterday too? I think that failed."

"I don't mean I'm going to go home and ignore you. I want you to do your normal routine. I'll be there for things like dinner, and bedtime."

"So you are just going to hang out while I work out and swim a few laps?"

"No, she is going to hang out with me. Every evening I get bored while everyone does their normal prep stuff. I end up watching bad TV. Tonight Bella and I can entertain ourselves," Rosalie said from the kitchen.

"Way to eavesdrop Rose," Edward replied.

"No, Rose has a good idea. It'll be a girls night. I'll have fun," Bella replied. "In fact, since I'm feeling better, I think I'm going to head to the apartment and get changed."

"I'll join you," Edward offered.

"Nope," she replied. "Rose, did you want to come? We can take a cab."

"Excellent. We can order pizza or something. I like your apartment. I'm thinking we should do a night in with movies." Rose was grabbing her phone to send Emmett a message.

"But I thought I was getting supper with you?" Edward asked Bella.

"Meh, you can survive one on your own," Bella said with a smile. "I'll see you later at the hotel."

"Yeah, Edward, and if you get lonely I'm sure your brother will take good care of you," Rose added with a grin. "Ready?" She asked Bella.

Bella nodded, and soon the two were gone.

Edward sat for a few minutes and then went out to go meet the rest of the family.

"What did you say to my wife to make her ditch me for the evening?" Emmett asked when he saw Edward.

"I have no idea. I was ordered to prep for tomorrow. Apparently I'll see them later. They are having a girls night."

"And they didn't invite me?" Alice asked, sounding insulted.

"Alice, you'll spend most of your night getting Zhara all ready for tomorrow," Carlisle replied. "Bella doesn't need to be down on the grounds, so it makes sense that her and Rosalie might want to give you all space to get ready for tomorrow."

"Fine, but Edward, you better invite Bella to come out on the traditional girls night out. It's Friday tomorrow." Alice turned back to Edward. Every year, on the final Friday of Stampede, the group did a guys night and girls night. Generally, the girls went out to do a bunch of fun Stampede activities.

"So I lose Bella for two nights in a row? I only have four nights left with her and you want to take two away."

"Yep, I'm kidnapping her. Besides, that's bull. There is no way you and Bella won't see each other after Sunday. You practically gravitate toward each other."

"Please stop analyzing my relationship."

"Stop making stupid excuses that don't make sense. If you want it, you've got the rest of your life with the girl. We are going to take her for one night."

"I think Alice has an excellent idea," Esme chimed in.

Edward glared at his mother. "Of course you do. She's not feeling well though, I don't want her feeling worse."

"She'll be fine," Esme replied. "Alice, you should text Bella. If you don't, I feel like your brother will conveniently forget to tell her."

"Already done," She said as she waved the phone out in front of her.

Edward sighed and admitted defeat. He would not win against his mother and Alice.

The night progressed slowly. Although he welcomed the feeling of a good workout, Edward missed seeing Bella. She had been right though, the workout had been a nice way to relax and bring the focus back to tomorrow's ride. He doubted that it would matter much. He'd be doing the wild card unless a miracle happened the next day.

Later in the evening, there was a knock on his door. He hurried over and opened to reveal Bella and Rosalie.

"See Edward, I told you I'd bring her back to you. We had a great night though," Rose said happily. "I'll see you tomorrow Bella, and I'm warning you, Alice probably has something big planned for tomorrow night. It'll be your first girls night out after all."

"For sure, but can you double check with her that it's okay for Angela to come with us? I know she and Ben are doing the rodeo that afternoon, and I haven't seen her all week. We talked about meeting up tomorrow. I don't want to ditch her." Bella felt bad inviting people to their girl's night, but she did not want to ditch her friend either. Angela deserved better since she had tried to strike a friendship for months.

"I'm sure she'll just think the more the merrier," Rosalie replied. "Alice will be happy. She said she liked your friend last Thursday. Just ask her."

"Fine, I'll text her, but make sure you tell Alice."

"Will do," Rosalie replied. "Night Bella, night Edward. Have fun."

Edward closed the door after he and Bella said their goodnights to Rosalie. "Did you have fun?" he asked.

Bella walked over to the bed and sat down. She took off her boots and tossed them to the side. "I did. Rosalie is a blast. You should have heard some of the stories she told me about you."

"Oh god, do I want to know?" Edward sat down behind her, one leg on each side of her body, and began to massage her shoulders.

"Probably not," she replied as she let her head fall forward as she enjoyed her massage.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, no more nausea."

"I'm glad, I feel bad that you had such a rough reaction to it." He finished massaging her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"To be honest, I've felt worse in the past, and I'm fine now, after the vomiting I felt much better. I think it was a combination of the pill and the heat. Once I was inside the air-conditioned motor home and had some of Rose's tea, I felt much better."

"Good," he replied. "Ready for bed?"

"Yeah, I'm exhausted. It's been a long day." Bella stepped off the bed and began to take her clothing off. She left a tank top and her underwear.

Edward stripped down to his boxers. "Me too, it's amazing how much a good workout can wear you out. I feel great though."

"Good." She said as she got up on her tip toes and kissed him quickly on the lips.

The two crawled into bed. It was the first night that spent together that they both felt like they just needed to sleep. Having each other next to them was enough. It felt comfortable. Bella snuggled back up to Edward, and his arms went around her. They both were asleep after only a few minutes.

The following morning, Bella made sure Edward followed his usual routine. She went down to the cafe for muffins and coffee while Edward took a short run on the treadmill. She had spoken to Emmett the night before and convinced him to let them out of the pancake breakfast. He reluctantly agreed, but they both decided it might be best to let Edward get back on a normal schedule.

She brought a coffee and muffin up for him to the room. He returned a few minutes after she did. He took a sip of the coffee then went to take a quick shower.

When he came back out he sat down at the small table in his jeans. "You know, I think this will work well."

"What?" She looked at him over the rim of her coffee cup.

"I think I like the idea of coming home to you after a workout, or a competition." He settled back into his chair. "I don't want to freak you out or anything, but I think we could do this. I think we could fit into each others' lives quite well."

"Except that when we live in different countries, there really isn't a need to fit into anything." She set her coffee down and rested her hands on the table.

He reached over and put his hand over one of hers. "I still think you should consider coming to Texas. I don't mean you need to move in with me or anything, just see what options there are for teaching out there. Get your own place, and then we could have a normal relationship."

She pulled her hand away. "How often are you actually in Texas? There are rodeo events all year long. I know you do not spend the majority of your time at home."

"I don't do every rodeo every year. No one does. There has to be at least 30 this week alone. We try to do as many events as close to home as possible. Of course we do some of the big ones farther away, but I'm not gone the entire year. I promise you that. Think about it Bella. It doesn't have to be this Sunday or anything, but I think we should eventually talk about it."

"I'm terrified Edward. My life is here. I don't know if I can leave." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. He could tell she was trying to put up a barrier.

He got out of his seat and began pacing the floor. He wanted to make sure he got the right words, he didn't want to push her away. "It wouldn't be a negative thing. You wouldn't be leaving your life, you'd be starting a new chapter of it. Hopefully one that is happier, because I know you've had to deal with a lot of shit in your life up to now. Your eyes light up when you let something slip about when you were teaching before. I know it hurts you not to do it, and Texas might be an option. I know it's scary, but we could do it. I know we haven't talked about it, but I have money. If it's money you are worried about, don't be. It could be a seamless move if we wanted it to be."

She jumped out of her seat to face him, and he was sure he had not said the right thing. "First of all, I don't need your money. Rose and Alice let it slip few days ago that you have money, but it isn't a selling point." She did not want him to think that money was the issue. "Second, most of my memories here are good. There are only a few that are unhappy. Up until last year I was happy in this city. I don't know Edward. It is a big step, and I don't know if I am ready to even think about it."

He came up to her and put his hands on her arms. "Okay, I'm sorry, I don't want to upset you. How about we keep it as an option? Just not the only solution right now."

"Fine," she replied. "Now let's get you ready to win today."

He knew she was ready to drop the subject, but he hoped that she at least would think about it. He loved his home in Texas, and he knew that she could fit in there easily. It still needed to be her choice. It was a big step and he didn't want to push her to make a decision too fast. Sunday though, was coming fast and it terrified him a bit that he would be leaving her. It already was difficult not to sleep next to her. He did not function normal when she was not around. He needed her, and he was terrified that he soon wouldn't have her.

They made their way down to the grounds and Edward let Bella go meet Ben and Angela. She was going to hang out with them until the event started. Edward went down to the competitors area and said hello to a few people.

He just about ran into one of the cattle ropers, Sam Uley as they both rounded a corner. He knew Sam from a few years on the tour. He was from nearby to Calgary. He stood with a familiar face that Edward couldn't quite place.

"Hey, Edward. Haven't seen you around too much this week," Sam said extending a hand for a handshake.

"Yeah, I've been pretty busy this week."

"Yeah, Emily mentioned the other day that she met your girlfriend."

"Yeah, Bella, she was sitting with Esme and Rose the other day. She said she met a few of the other wives and families. How is Emily and that little boy of yours?"

"They're great. He's already in school. Jacob here is actually the phys-ed teacher at his school." He motioned a hand toward the familiar man next to him.

Edward remembered where he met him. It was the guy from Indian Village that knew Bella. "Oh, yes, we met the other day. You know Bella, my girlfriend."

"Yeah, she was one of my practicum teachers. Is she with you today? I wanted to tell her about a job that we've got for fall."

"She's on the grounds with some friends. I don't know if she'll even be in Alberta come September." Edward knew he was overstepping his bounds. He had no right to say where Bella would or wouldn't be in two months.

"Really? That's interesting. Where is she going?"

"We've been talking about her coming down to Texas, possibly teaching down there."

"Well, she is really only certified for Alberta, so it might require her to do extra classes to do certification in another country. It might not be easy for her to get a teaching job down there. I've seen her in a classroom and that's where she belongs. We can give her that on the reserve."

"You don't know the rules and requirements either. I said we were looking into it."

"So then I should definitely get in touch with her about the job. Did you even consider that she wouldn't have to leave in order to teach?"

"Did _you_ ever consider that she might want to leave?"

"Excuse me?" a voice beside them chimed in. There stood Bella with Angela, Ben, and Rosalie. Rosalie must have brought them back behind to the competitors' area. Edward could tell by the look on her face that he was in trouble.

"Did either of you consider that I might want to make the decision for myself?" Bella asked.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 -

Bella could not believe the conversation that was going on in front of her. She had not seen Jacob in over a year and he was acting as if they had been discussing jobs for months. Not to mention that Edward knew where she stood about Texas.

"Rose, I kind of want to go sit down and watch the start of the rodeo," Bella said as she turned to Rose.

Rosalie nodded then turned to her brother-in-law. "Edward you need to go get ready. The anthem will be in ten minutes and you need to be on the field pretty quick." She turned to Jacob. "I don't know who you are, but you don't need to be causing drama. Competitors need to focus before their events. If you are going to disrupt that, then I'll have my husband make a complaint and get you thrown out."

"Mrs. Cullen, he's here with me," Sam replied. "It was as much your brother-in-law's confrontation as it was Jacob's."

"Yeah, but Edward's competing. Competitors trump guests," Rosalie shot back. She headed towards the family grandstand where they would watch the rest of the rodeo.

She met up with Bella, Ben, and Angela. "You guys don't mind sitting over here?" Rosalie asked. "There is no shade on this side."

Ben just laughed. "We are like twenty feet from the field. I'll take a sunburn over those nosebleed seats we had."

"Yeah, these seats are great. Thanks for bringing us over here," Angela added.

"I've heard great things about both of you from my husband, Alice, and Bella. I'm glad we ran into you guys," Rosalie replied.

Bella listened to the conversation, but was still irritated by the conversation she had just witnessed. The ridiculous show of masculine possessiveness was beyond frustrating. She glanced up and saw Jacob appear at the stands. Sam must have invited him to watch from the family bleachers as well.

She decided she should get it over with now since it would probably end in a fight if she tried to have this conversation with Edward around. She stepped down the seats until she was at the bottom with Jacob.

"What the hell was that?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Jacob, I've seen you once in over a year and you are acting like you know what is best for me? I am flattered that you would consider me for a job, but you don't even know me anymore. You don't need to be telling my boyfriend what is good for me." She sat down next to him in case they were blocking anyone.

"Bella, when I found out you weren't teaching anymore I was upset. You belong in a classroom and you can do that out on the reservation. I don't know what made you move to an office job, but I know that coming out to teach on Siksika would remind you how much you love it. I'm worried that this boyfriend of yours is turning you into something you aren't." He took a quick look around to make sure Rosalie wasn't anywhere nearby. He was not interested in dealing with the pregnant one again.

"First of all, you don't even know Edward or anything about our relationship. My being in an office has nothing to do with him whatsoever. He didn't even know me when I started that job. Second, when you mentioned the job last time we spoke you said to email the school. I haven't done that yet because I haven't decided what I want to do. Maybe I will call you; maybe I'll move to Texas. Right now, all I know is that it is _my _decision to make." She emphasized her point by putting her palm on her chest. "Mine!"

"I wasn't trying to make the decision for you... just show you your options."

"You already told me about potentially working out there, so you've already showed me that I have options. Thank you for that. But you do not need to interfere in my life. I hope your friend does well today. I'll talk to you soon." She turned to climb back up the bleachers.

"I don't like him," Rose stated, glaring at Jacob.

Bella sat down between Rose and Angela. "He's not a bad guy. He was just looking out for me. He was my mentor teacher when I was in school and is worried about me no longer teaching." She was pretty sure she owed them all a bit of an explanation, but she also didn't want to tell all of her secrets. "Stuff didn't work out at the last private school where I taught, so I got the job with you Angela. He thinks I should come back to teaching with them out on the reserve."

Angela put a reassuring hand on her arm. "Bella, if teaching is what you want to do, maybe you should look into the job out on the reserve."

"I have been thinking about what comes next, but I just haven't decided." She smiled at Rosalie, then Angela. "Who knows, maybe I will end up in Texas. It's too soon to make any decisions, about Texas, or teaching." As she finished the opening ceremony was about to begin, the competitors ran out into the field for the anthem. Bella spotted Edward and smiled.

Rosalie caught the look on her face. "It's okay to want to go to Texas you know. I know it feels like it's too soon and you're abandoning home, but if you did go, this place will always be a part of you."

Bella sighed. "I know, and I also know that if Edward and I did stay together long term, then I would end up moving there eventually. I just don't know if I am quite there yet."

They stood for O' Canada and when they sat down again Bella noticed Angela looking at her.

"Bella, I know we aren't that close or anything, but I've worked down the hall from you for months. I know you well enough to know that stuff hasn't been easy for you and you are not happy there. You seem happy today - truly happy. I'd bet my life savings that Edward is the reason you are this happy.

"I love my job, and actually enjoy going to work each day, but if they tried to transfer me back to Vancouver, I'd quit." Angela glanced at Ben sitting beside her, and he gave her a smile. "Ben is here, and I would want to stay with him. I love Vancouver, and it will always be my hometown, but my heart is here." She put a hand on Ben's thigh and squeezed. He put his hand over top of hers.

Bella wasn't sure how to respond. Angela seemed to have a point. Calgary was home, but would it still feel right when Edward left? It had only been a few days, but he had made a mark on her life. She wouldn't be able to walk by the hotel without thinking about all the times they had there. Milestones was one of her favorite restaurants and it would always be the place she first saw him. Even her apartment would never be the same. Her life would not go back to how it was when he left and that was a good thing. She was happier, but could she be that happy when he left?

She tried to put the thought out of her mind, but it wouldn't leave. She was distracted through most of the rodeo.

Edward watched from behind the chutes as Emmett and Jasper both make it to the final Sunday. They would not need to do the wild card the next day. When it was time for the barrel racing, he climbed up onto the fence to watch Alice.

He was extremely proud of his little sister as she ran her race. She rounded the first barrel and stayed in nice and tight. The second barrel she was a little too tight and touched it, but thankfully it did not fall. Her turn was a little wider on the third barrel and then she raced back to the line with Zhara. She ended up scoring the best time of the entire 2012 Stampede so far, putting her in first place. He cheered as she rode around the field to "Simply the Best," and he met her at the side of the chutes.

"Congrats, baby sister!" He pulled her into a hug. "You did amazing!"

"Thanks! Now you go do the same." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I know you can!" Then she turned to Carlisle and hugged their dad. When she spotted Jasper she ran up to him and jumped into his arms. He kissed her and the surrounding crowd clapped and cheered a little.

Emmett appeared at Edward's side. "Ready to go, little brother?"

"Fuck, I hope so. I'm trying not to freak myself out. Who knows, if a few of the other guys have bad rides, then I might be able to pull into top four. It would be nice not to have to do the wild card."

"That's true, but even if you do, we are doing guys night tonight. Nothing crazy, just a night at the casino. Alice has claimed all the girls, including Bella, for their girl's night."

"If I lose today, I need to focus for tomorrow." He began to do a few stretches, getting ready for his ride.

Emmett glared and took a drink from his water bottle. "Like I said, nothing crazy. We'll have Cinder-Edward back to the hotel before midnight strikes and he turns into a pumpkin."

"I think you have that fairytale wrong. And you really aren't that funny." Edward looked up at his smirking brother.

"Whatever, you are still coming," Emmett replied, then lightly slapped Edward's back. "Now go win some money."

Edward headed back down to the area where the chutes were. He was up sixth in the bareback, so he had a little bit of time. He climbed up onto the railing and looked over at the family bleachers. He saw Bella; she looked happy.

He knew he was in trouble with her for the argument she had witnessed. He hated the idea of her deciding to go teach on the reservation, but he did not want to admit it. He was acting like a complete ass. Instead of being happy for her that she could work in her chosen field, he was pissed off that she might not come with him... and he was yelling at her potential employer. He reminded himself that the potential employer also seemed to have a thing for Bella. It made him feel a little better about his actions.

As he thought about it, he looked over at the bleachers again. Jacob was sitting a few rows below Bella with Emily Uley. Edward watched as Jacob continually looked back at Bella. She didn't seem to notice, but Edward sure did. He definitely didn't want Bella working out there with Jacob. It was selfish, and Edward admitted that, but he was afraid that he would lose her if he was gone for months at a time and she was here with that other guy.

"Cullen, you ready to go?" It was one of the guys working the chutes. Edward told himself to get focused. He had just spent the last ten minutes watching Bella and Jacob instead of getting ready for his ride.

Edward nodded to the guy from the chutes, then turned to his father, who had appeared on his left. "What's on your mind, Edward?" he asked. "Are you worried about the ride? You've got this. In fact, you've ridden this horse before and done well on him."

"Yeah, I just can't seem to get focused. I got this though," he replied as he jumped off the railing and headed toward his gate. He saw the horse he was riding. His name was Thunder and Edward liked riding him. He'd ridden him twice before.

He climbed up into the chutes and got himself situated on the horse. Once he was sitting comfortably and securely, he began to get his hand into his rigging. His hand fit snuggly into the handle. It, like all bareback riggings, was designed to fit his hand. When he had his hand inside and was ready to go he felt focused, and ready.

He couldn't deny that bareback was his calling. He never felt right when he was away from the sport for any length of time. It sounded insane when he said it out loud, but he always felt most like himself when he jumped on the back of a bucking horse. It was a feeling like no other. In those eight seconds, he felt alive.

He nodded his head, signaling he was ready to go, and the gate opened. The horse came out strong and bucking. He felt himself being jerked from side to side, as the horse moved in varying directions.

He realised too, when the ride started to go wrong. Horses often buck high and hard, and that for a bareback rider is the best, because it allows the rider to spur, and get his legs in the correct positions with each jump. This horse would buck to the left and the right, so each time he couldn't quite get his legs in the right spot. Close to the end of the eight seconds, the horse jerked to the side in mid jump and Edward's left leg flew to the right, jerking his body out of position. He would feel himself slipping sideways and his wrist that was in the rigging was stuck in there. He could feel his arm being stretched.

He knew the ride was almost done, but he also knew that if he didn't get situated straight again, he could potentially break his wrist, or dislocate his shoulder. So he did the only thing he could do. He reached down his other arm and used it to pull himself back upright. He would not get a score, but he would need his wrist if he wanted to ride the next day.

Bella watched quietly from the stands. When she heard them announce Edward's ride was next, she focused on the chute. His ride looked rough. His legs were not in the right positions and she gasped when he tilted precariously to one side. She watched him give up the ride and reposition himself and then the buzzer rang.

"Shit," Rosalie said from the seat next to her.

"He's not going to get scored again," Bella groaned.

"No, but he made the right choice," Esme said from the row behind. She had joined them after Alice's ride. "His hand in the rigging needs to be very secure, so when his leg went over the side it was stuck there. If he slipped off, he could have been dangling by one arm. Remember when I told you he broke his wrist once?" Bella nodded. "That's what happened. I'm going to go down and make sure he is okay." Esme stood and began to go down.

"Can I come?" Bella asked.

"Of course. Rosalie, do you mind staying with our guests?" Esme looked to her daughter-in-law.

"For sure, keep me updated though," Rosalie replied. She turned back to Angela and Ben to reassure them that he was likely all right.

Bella followed Esme in a bit of a daze. She kept replaying the ride in her mind. It didn't look that bad in her head, but she knew nothing about rodeo injuries. If his wrist was badly hurt he could be out for a while and that would crush him. Her heart was racing and she could feel tears filling her eyes.

She spotted Edward talking to Carlisle and Emmett. He saw her and met her halfway. He pulled her into a hug before she could speak.

She stepped out of the hug and took a good look at him. "Are you okay? Please tell me your wrist isn't bad? Please don't be injured." She could feel a couple tears falling down her cheeks.

Edward looked down at her and smiled. He wiped away the tears that had fallen. "Baby, I'm fine." He looked over Bella's head at his mom. "Way to stress her out, Mom."

"Sorry, that's not what I meant to do," Esme replied honestly. She had not meant to worry the girl to tears.

Edward focused on Bella again. "I could feel myself slipping, so I used my free hand to right myself. My wrist doesn't even hurt. I made sure not to stretch the arm and that's why I took a no score. No score is better than a broken wrist. Don't cry. I'm okay, Bella."

"You're sure?" She felt a little stupid for jumping to conclusions so quickly.

"Positive." To prove it he held out his wrist and twisted his hand back and forth to show her.

"I'm sorry for freaking out." She looked around to his family, who were watching the exchange.

"Wow, how awful am I? I should be back here trying to make you feel better and you're the one reassuring me." She wiped her eyes again.

He turned her chin back to face him. "Bella, you are not awful. I am flattered that you were so worried for me. I don't want you to worry, but I know that you will, and I know that means that you care."

"I'm sorry about your ride."

"It's okay, I was probably going to have to do the wild card tomorrow anyway." He pulled her into a hug, tucking her head underneath his chin. "Come on, how about I come out with you and watch the rest of the rodeo." She nodded into his chest.

When they got out to the seats, Edward sat down between Bella and Rosalie. "How's the bull riding going?" he asked the group casually.

"Everyone's gotten bucked off so far," Rosalie commented flatly. "How's the wrist?" she asked. She could tell he was fine, but figured it was polite to ask.

"Fine," he replied. He liked that Rosalie didn't make a big spectacle about things like that. She had grown up in a rodeo family as well and her casual reaction to injuries and falls tended to calm situations down.

"Good. You better do better tomorrow though." She turned her attention back to whatever the announcer was saying.

Edward smiled at her and then said a quick hello to Ben and Angela. They gave him the customary good-luck for his next ride and then they all watched as the next bull rider came out.

When the rodeo was over, they all said goodbye. Angela and Ben had dinner plans. They were heading to the other end of town to meet his family. Rosalie headed down to meet Emmett. She wanted to see her husband for a bit before they went out for their girl's night.

Edward and Bella headed down to the barns to meet up with Alice and Jasper. Jasper stood back with Carlisle and Esme while Alice was getting Zhara calmed and ready for another evening in the barn.

Bella stepped over to help Alice. She congratulated her on her position in the final and began to pet the horse's nose. The rest of the family shook their head at Bella's ability to get near Zhara. They were as shocked as Edward had been.

"So, Bella, you ready for girl's night?" Alice asked with a big grin.

Bella was a little wary about the smile Alice was giving her. "Should I be afraid?" Bella looked at the rest of the group.

Jasper grinned. "Well, I wouldn't say afraid exactly..."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 -

"No! Absolutely not! Alice, I am not getting on that ride." Bella stood firmly, with her arms crossed in front of her.

Alice stood at the entrance to a line-up for a ride called the Sling Shot. Two riders sat inside a ball that was suspended by steel cables between two huge poles. They were strapped in with a shoulder harness and the ball was closed at the front. The ride would mechanically build up tension, then when it was ready, it would shoot the ball high into the air and it would bounce around until it stopped.

"I've done it with every other member of the family," Alice protested. "It is your turn. If you come, I promise to show you the videos of Edward and Emmett on it."

She was flattered that Alice seemed to rank her with family, but it did not sway her. "No! Alice, I am not insane. That thing shoots you up over two hundred feet into the air inside a little ball." Bella shook her head. She had seen this ride for years at the stampede and never once had she ever wanted to go anywhere near it.

"Isabella Swan, I demand that you get your little ass over here right now. If you don't I'll...well, I don't know what I'll do, but it will be something you'll hate." Alice stood with her hands on her hips. For someone as tiny as she was, she could have quite the demanding presence.

"No way! You couldn't do something I'd hate more than that thing!" She pointed one hand toward the ride for emphasis.

"Bella, it'll be fun, just do it," Rosalie said with a grin. She had been on it the year before, and couldn't be happier that her pregnancy got her out of it.

"Come on, Bella, I want to do this to celebrate me making the rodeo finals. Rosalie can't because she is pregnant and Mom is not one to do rides any more. Please, for me?" Alice pouted.

"You had to pull the celebration card didn't you? That and the pouty face? You're cruel, Alice Whitlock. Very cruel." Bella dropped her arms and headed toward the line, dragging her feet as she went. "But if I throw up, I hope it gets on you."

"You'll be fine!" Alice said happily when Bella reached her.

They paid the fee and waited at the bottom while the attendants got everything ready. Bella could not believe she was doing it. She was pretty sure this was one of her worst ideas ever. They stepped up, sat in their seats, and were strapped in. When the attendants stepped away, Bella turned to Alice. "I hate you!"

"You love me! I've gotten you to break out of your comfort zone. You'll thank me later." She replied tapping Bella's hand affectionately.

"I like my comfort zone," Bella snapped back.

The ride was getting ready; the anticipation was awful. Bella couldn't help but think that she should have found an excuse to get out of girl's night. Angela had managed to escape. Why couldn't she? It was far too late for that though.

The ride sat for a few seconds before it did anything, but when it did, Bella barely had a chance to scream. Instantly they were shot hundreds of feet in the air. It reached top height and began to fall back down. As it fell her scream came back and it continued for the first few bounces. The entire time the ball was flipping forward and back and to the sides. Eventually it slowed down and the ride came to a stop.

The cables lowered the ride down and Bella finally was able to peel her hands off the railing. She turned her head in the harness and looked over at Alice, who had a huge grin on her face. "I hate you!" Bella yelled.

"No, you don't. You had fun."

"No, I didn't," she replied defiantly. They reached the bottom, and Bella was so glad to have her feet back on solid ground. She went down the steps to the tent where you could buy the ride videos. "Do I want to see it?" she asked Rosalie and Esme.

"Oh, it doesn't matter if you want to see it, Alice is going to buy it," Rosalie replied with a grin. They watched the video together and Bella groaned. It was about a minute of her screaming and Alice smiling as if she were just on a leisurely stroll.

"Yeah, I hate you," Bella said to Alice a final time.

"Just remember, now you get to see Emmett and Edward's videos. They are priceless." Alice bought her video from the booth and they headed on to their next adventure.

Alice decided they should do the old time photo booth. "Alice, I am over seven months pregnant, I am not dressing in old fashioned dresses," Rosalie complained as Alice led them to the booth.

"I know," she said with a grin. She continued on her way. "We are not going to dress as saloon girls or anything. We are going to dress as guys."

Bella and Esme burst out laughing. Rosalie's mouth dropped open and it caused them to laugh even more. "No way, Alice!" Rosalie exclaimed.

"I think it's a great idea," Bella said with a grin. "Even better than going on the Sling Shot. Come on Rose, it'll be fun." She used Rosalie's words against her and Bella could see defeat on Rose's face.

"Fine! But I want to hold the biggest gun!" Rosalie added.

The four arrived at the booth and looked through the men's costumes. There were pirates, outlaws, old fashioned gangsters, and native outfits. Bella found one that she liked and held it up to the group. "Hey guys, how about we be members of the Northwest Mounted Police." The traditional outfit for the Northwest Mounted Police were bright red jackets and small round hats.

"Those are awesome!" Alice exclaimed as she grabbed it out of Bella's hands and told the employees that they wanted four of them. They found them their costumes and they quickly changed. When they were dressed, Alice decided to put the finishing touches and draw mustaches on them all using eye liner. They each got a different style.

"This is ridiculous!" Esme said with a grin. "But I must admit, I love it!"

It was their turn next. They were posed in front of a picture of the front doors of a saloon. Rosalie got a large shotgun and the other three held pistols. They were told not to smile in the picture, they needed to look serious, but it was very difficult. Each time one of them caught the eye of another, they burst out laughing. Eventually, much to the frustration of the staff, they finally settled down enough to get one in which they were not completely smiling.

The picture was printed, they got four copies, and Bella had to laugh. Rosalie looked extremely pissed, Alice looked as if she were about to burst out laughing – and probably had - Bella looked confused, and Esme managed to be the only one to look serious.

"I have to admit, Emmett is going to love this," Rosalie said with a smile.

"He'll probably drag you back here tomorrow to do more pictures," Alice offered.

They headed back around the grounds, and decided they might check out the band playing at Nashville North, a huge tent set up with a full bar, stage, and dance floor. It was the party tent of the Stampede. Esme and Rosalie were wary about going in, but they both liked the band that was playing, so they agreed.

When they got inside Bella was hit by an awful smell of alcohol and vomit. Clearly the tent had been well used over the last several days.

"It's disgusting in here," Bella said as she wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, good thing I'm not at the morning sickness stage of pregnancy, or I would have contributed to the vomit the second I walked in here." She looked around, and turned to Alice.

"Do we have to stay?"

"It could be worse and I'm sure we'll get used to it."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "It smells like someone threw up at the bottle depot. I am not sure we will get used to it."

"Well, we are going to try. Let's go get something to drink. Mom, Rose, can you find us a table?" Alice pointed to the group of tables near the dance floor.

Alice and Bella went to the bar and bought drinks for the group; beer for Bella, a cooler for Alice, water for Esme, and a vitamin water for Rosalie. They found Esme and Rosalie at a table near the dance floor and watched the band play.

When the band was finished the dj began to play some line dancing songs and Alice dragged the other three out to do a few. Bella laughed as she struggled through the 'Slap Leather' line dance, to the tune of "Cadillac Ranch."

When the dances were finished, they hurried out. They were heading back to the hotel to meet the gentlemen for the night. It was nearing eleven and Rosalie was exhausted. Bella felt pretty tired too, but was eager to see Edward in private. They hadn't had much time to spend together all day, and she couldn't wait to fall asleep in his arms. She decided to forget the incident that afternoon. She was not going to argue with him the night before an important rodeo. She was pretty sure he needed to concentrate as much as possible.

The gentlemen had a less eventful night. Their first stop had been the casino, but since none of them were very big gamblers, they got bored fairly quickly. They sat at the casino bar for a little while, then decided to grab some rush tickets to the chuck wagon races and watch that.

They found themselves a spot to stand, just past the start of the race, and waited. Edward enjoyed watching the chucks. It was an event that had started in the 1923 Calgary Stampede, and popular in the city ever since. He enjoyed coming to Calgary and seeing them each year. It was far less popular outside of western Canada, so it was a treat to go see them.

There were nine heats with four wagons per heat. Four beautiful thoroughbred horses pulled each wagon, and each wagon team had two outriders. One outrider stood in front of the team of horses, and the other behind. The one in front held the horses until the horn blew. The one in the back was responsible for throwing a 'stove' in the back of the wagon. It was designed to model how cowboys would race back to camp each day after working on long cattle drives in years past. When the whistle blew, the horses took off and traveled in a figure eight around barrels that they must not knock down. If they did, they were penalized. After completing the figure eight, the teams raced around the track to reach the finish.

When standing on the tarmac in front of the track, you could feel the power of the horses as they ran by, and the feeling was exhilarating. It helped clear Edward's mind, but between each race, thoughts about what was coming up for him would cloud his mind.

He was extremely torn and didn't know what he could do. Bella had quickly become a huge part of his life and he wanted her in it permanently. He worried that she was not ready, and that he would leave and eventually lose her. He also could not deny that he had been distracted while competing over the last three days. On Wednesday, he made a stupid mistake, so he ignored that, but on Thursday and Friday he had been thinking about Bella. On Thursday, all he could think about was how sick she had been, and that had thrown off his focus. This morning he had been worked up about the issue of her moving, or working on the reservation.

He watched as people did it all the time, Jasper and Alice, Emmett and Rose, even his parents. They all managed to have successful careers and relationships. He didn't know how they did it and he was worried that he might not be able to. He wasn't ready to give up competing. He was still very young and had plenty of good rodeo years left. On the other hand, he was not willing to give up on the relationship either. He needed to figure out how to be in love, but not allow it to consume him to the point that his career suffered.

When the chuck wagon races finished, they stayed for the grandstand show, and watched as a group called the Young Canadians took over the stage. They were a dancing and singing group that performed in Calgary each Stampede. There was also a group of trick ropers from Japan, an unbelievable group of young acrobats from Beijing, and an acrobatic couple that swung around in the air on two ribbons of material. To finish off the show, Canadian country music star Paul Brandt took the stage and performed. Edward had not heard of him before he and Bella had seen him Sunday night, but after both shows he was sure he'd need to buy some of his music.

The show finished with the blowing up of a giant cake balloon that said "Happy 100th Birthday" and a huge display of fireworks. Edward smiled, thinking of how Bella had been so happy during the fireworks a week ago. He almost couldn't believe that had been only a week ago. It felt like Bella had been in his life for far longer than that.

When the show was over, they headed out of the grounds and back to the hotel. They decided to have another couple drinks in the bar before they met the ladies and went to bed.

Edward sat quietly, his head full of thoughts about the upcoming few days. Carlisle noticed his younger son's silence. "What's on your mind, son?" he asked.

Edward's head shot up and he realized he had gotten lost in his thoughts. "What isn't on my mind right now?"

Emmett set his beer down. "Spill, Baby Brother. You've been quiet all night."

"Emmett's right," Carlisle took a deep breath. "I don't mean to upset you, but we can tell something is on your mind. Lately, we've seen a far different Edward than we've seen for the last few months. You've been very withdrawn in the last little while. Since you came here, and met Bella, it seems like the son I used to have is back. Now tonight, you're back to the withdrawn man that you were before Bella. What's wrong?"

Edward took a big swig of his beer. "I don't know. I just can't explain it very well."

"At least try," Jasper offered. "Whatever it is, Edward, between the three of us, we probably have been there and can help."

Edward nodded, Jasper was probably right. "Okay, I just, well, it's about Bella, and the rodeo circuit. I don't know how to do it. I don't know how to make it work." He took another swig of beer.

"What do you mean 'make it work'?" Carlisle asked.

"I just feel like if I pay too much attention to one, the other will fall apart, and I don't think I can lose either." He finished off his beer and set it down on the bar. He ran his hand through his messy hair. "How do you keep competing when your heart is somewhere else?"

"It's okay to love them both you know," Jasper began. "Us, Alice, Rose, and your mom all did-"

"That's different though," Edward said, cutting off Jasper's sentence. "Alice, Rose, and Mom all live that same life. Bella's life is here and I don't think she is ready to leave it." He waved to the bartender, asking for another beer. "I can barely think about the competition when she is thirty feet away on the bleachers. How do I do it when we're in different countries?"

The bartender brought the beer, but before Edward grabbed it off the counter, Emmett picked it up. "You are not drinking yourself out of this. You can't be hung over Edward. You have to ride tomorrow." He took a drink of the beer, signaling that it was now his.

Edward nodded. Emmett was right. "I can't lose either of them. I love the rodeo, I love competing, but I love Bella too."

"Does she know that?" Jasper asked. "Because love is a big deal. Maybe the reason she is worried about moving is because she doesn't know."

"I haven't told her, but I feel like it will scare her away. She's always going on about how things are going too fast, that it's crazy."

Carlisle put his hand on Edward's shoulder. "Our entire life can be a little crazy at times, Edward. We don't live like your normal everyday family. We travel around the continent doing different rodeos, and when we aren't there, we work with horses back home. You need to understand that maybe she isn't ready for that. It doesn't mean that you can't make it work until she is."

None of them noticed that the group of girls had returned and were heading to the bar.

"I think that's exactly what it means. Carlisle, I don't know if I'm ready for this major of a shift in my life. All I know is that with Bella, I can only concentrate on Bella. Everything else seems to come second, and that includes riding. I don't know how to focus on both." With both elbows on the bar he let his head drop into his palms.

Carlisle shook his head. "Edward, it wasn't just that you started dating Bella that made this rodeo different. You've always said that there was something special about Calgary. It isn't necessarily just Bella. You also need to remember, you've only know her a week so this is all new. You need to make adjustments when big changes happen in your life."

He looked up to his father. "It's Bella. She is all I think about and that's not a bad thing, but I've never had three awful rides like that in a row. Never. By the way I just performed, I shouldn't even be here, and the only difference between this rodeo and any other-"

"Is me," Bella said quietly.

Edward's head whipped back, and there stood Bella. Her mouth hung partially open, and he could see tears in her eyes. "Bella..."

She turned and ran.

He jumped out of his chair and followed after her, leaving the rest of the family to watch, stunned.

"Bella!" he called after her, and after a short run he caught up. "Bella, wait! How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough, Edward. I get it, believe me I do. I've been worried for the last three days that it is me that is causing this and you confirmed it. I won't stick around and watch you lose. Edward, I don't want you to lose and I don't want it to be me that makes you." She wasn't mad at him, she just hated the situation. She turned to walk away again, knowing her tears were about to fall, but he grabbed her arm.

He looked down at her face. "Bella, I need you, I-"

"I know, I don't want to end it, but I won't be the reason you start losing. I love you too much to stick around. If us not being together means that you get to continue doing what you love to do, then so be it." She pulled her arm out of his grasp and began to walk away. She refused to look back because she knew she'd see how upset he was. It wasn't that they didn't want to be together, they just couldn't be. She was going to have to find a way to accept that no matter how hard it would be.

"Bella, without you, it'll be worse." He sounded desperate, but she refused to turn around. "Even when you aren't here, you are all I think about."

She stopped, but still couldn't turn around. "It'll be easier, I'm sure, once you get out of Calgary. We can both move on and eventually it will be like we never knew each other." She started walking again. "Goodbye, Edward."

She didn't wait to hear his reply, she started walking faster, then broke out into a run toward her apartment. It was then that she finally let all her tears fall.

Edward stood in the street alone. He wanted to go after her, but didn't know what to say. Going back to the hotel would mean dealing with his family, which he wasn't ready for. So he stood in the street, replaying the conversation over and over again in his mind.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 –

Edward stood in the street for several minutes. His heart was telling him to go to Bella's apartment and beg her to reconsider, but his head told him it wouldn't help. This was a situation of his own making. She had said from the beginning that she wouldn't come between him and his career and he had just told the entire bar that she was essentially ruining his career.

He eventually decided that he couldn't stand in the middle of downtown Calgary without getting questioned by the cops about what he was doing. Instead of heading back to the hotel and facing his family though, he decided he needed to walk off some pent up energy.

He wandered around the streets in a daze. It wasn't until he ended up on one of the strips full of bars and nightclubs that he came out of it. The noise of the parties got to him and he headed back toward the hotel. When he reached it, he decided to take one of the side entrances and head up the stairs instead of walking through the lobby past the bar. He assumed his family was still waiting for him.

When he reached his room, he quickly stripped and crawled into bed. He knew sleep was unlikely, but didn't want to do anything else either. He simply lay there thinking about Bella; about how broken she had seemed, about how he could fix it, and about how she had told him that she loved him, but still ran away. He wasn't even sure if she realized she had said it, but he was sure she felt it. It was his one saving grace. Knowing that she loved him made him more determined to work it out. He still had no idea how to do it, but he knew he only had a couple days. After about ten minutes of laying in bed, his phone began to ring. He quickly checked it to see if it was Bella. It wasn't... it was his sister. He ignored the call, but a minute later Emmett was calling him.

They were worried and he couldn't blame them. It had been over an hour since he ran out of the bar after Bella. He quickly sent off a text to Alice.

_In bed, going to sleep. See you in the morning –E_

Alice opened the text and showed it to the family. She had been pacing the bar while they waited to hear from Edward. She dropped down into one of the plush chairs sitting near the bar and sighed.

"This is bad," she said, stating the obvious. "He needs to learn to love two things at one time, and she needs to learn that it's okay to put priority on her own happiness. Not to mention that they both need to learn that real relationships take work and adjustment. It's so frustrating."

"Alice," Esme warned, "they are grown adults and we need to remember that it's not our place to interfere."

"Of course it is!" Alice countered. "I don't want to see my stupid brother miserable for the rest of his life. I know that you don't either, Mom. He's better when he is with her and we need to make her see that."

Carlisle sighed. He knew that once his daughter had her mind on something, she was going to do it. "Be careful, Alice. If we push him too much, we could push him away."

"If we don't get him back with her, we'll lose him altogether," Emmett chimed in, he had been facing the bar, but he took a swig of his beer and turned to face everyone. "Dad, you were just telling him how much better he had been in the last week... how he wasn't acting like some rodeo zombie. He was the Edward that we all know and love. If we leave this city, and he hasn't sorted stuff out with Bella, he'll be worse than ever. He'll not only go back to obsessing with Rodeo, but he'll be miserable too."

"Well, I think..." Rosalie stood up, then yawned before finishing. "Sorry. I was going to say, that we can't do anything about it tonight. It is after midnight and we should sleep. In the morning, Alice, you go see Bella. We all need to get Edward ready to ride tomorrow. He is not going to be focused on the ride and another loss is going to be awful for him. For now though... bed."

The group agreed and headed toward the elevator. With the exception of Rose, who was exhausted, the rest of the group found it difficult to sleep. They were worried that Emmett was right and that they might lose him completely.

When Bella arrived home, she collapsed onto the couch and let herself cry openly. She couldn't help but think that she should have seen this coming. The world was against her and it seemed like there was nothing that was going to change that. She literally felt sick.

When she felt like she couldn't cry anymore, she peeled herself off the couch and went to the washroom to take a shower. Physically, she felt better after the shower, but her mind was still a jumble of emotions. She hadn't heard all that Edward had said to his family, but she caught enough of it. It really didn't matter how much she loved him - and she knew now that she did – because if he continued to lose because of their feelings for each other, eventually he would resent her for it.

She sat down on her couch again and wasn't sure what to do. It was late, but she needed someone. She considered calling Angela, but she was not sure if they were at that stage of friendship yet. Her other option was to call her mom, but she knew she needed to learn to sort things out without needing her mother to come to her rescue. Besides, Florida was two hours ahead of her, and it was far too late to call unless it was a real emergency.

"You're on your own, Bella," she said to herself. She took a deep breath and headed for her bedroom, but all she could think about was the nights she had spent with Edward in there. She marched over to the bed, stripped off her comforter, grabbed a pillow, and headed back to the couch. It would be safer to sleep there. She and Edward hadn't spent much time in her living room.

It might be safer, but it definitely was not easier. She tossed and turned on the uncomfortable couch for almost two hours before she fell into a restless sleep. She woke up every couple of hours and knew that the next day she would be exhausted.

In the morning, the entire Cullen clan slept in a little later than usual. Carlisle was usually up early with Emmett and Alice getting the horses ready, but they had an off day, so even they slept in a little. Rosalie, who had gotten the most sleep, was awake first.

She went down to the cafe to get tea and a bagel for herself. When she was finished the bagel, she decided to go up and wake Edward. She stopped at the front desk and got a spare key for Edward's room. The entire family was on the reservation, so she had no trouble getting it. On the way to his room she met Alice, who was on her way to go find Bella.

"If I had know you were up, I would have brought you coffee," Rosalie said, holding up her tea, and the coffee she had bought for Edward. She put her foot in the door of the elevator so that it would not go down before Alice got on it.

"I'll stop there on my way. I doubt Bella will let me in without a bribery of coffee. How did you sleep?" Alice asked as she wiped her eyes, she clearly had not slept well.

"Honestly, not that bad. I was exhausted. I fell asleep right after we got back to the room. Emmett didn't sleep well though. He stirred me a few times when he tossed and turned. By the looks of it, you didn't fare much better."

Alice stepped into the elevator. "Nope, I am exhausted. I'm so glad that I don't have to race today. Good luck with Edward."

"You too. Bella's going to be tough." When the door closed, Rosalie headed towards Edward's hotel room.

She knocked on the door first, but there was no answer. She didn't bother to knock again, she just let herself in. Edward lay on his bed. He was sleeping, but Rosalie didn't intend to let that happen for long. She flipped on the lights, which caused him to stir a little, but not fully awaken. Rosalie frowned. She walked around the bed and stood right in front of where he lay. As she did this, she pulled out her cell phone, turned the volume on full blast, and clicked on the one called 'alarm'.

Instantly after the sound went off, Edward shot out of bed. He was on his feet in seconds and Rosalie stepped back. It took about four seconds more before he clued in to what was happening. His gaze found Rosalie and he glared.

"Wow, if looks could kill I'd be afraid right now," she said with a sweet grin on her face.

"Rose, what the fuck?" Edward said between clenched teeth.

"It was time for you to get up," she said nonchalantly.

He sat back down on the bed. "And what? Everyone decided to send the pregnant one so that I didn't beat anyone?"

"No, I volunteered, because I am not going to take any of your crap, I'm not going to take it easy on you. So get out of bed and get ready for the day. You have to ride today and you are going to do it." She put a hand on her hip and waved an arm, indicating that he needed to move.

He dropped his head into his heads. "Fuck, Rose, what if I slept naked?"

"I've seen you naked before, Edward. It was no secret you and your brother used to go skinny dipping in the pond on your parents property. There are probably very few girls from our town that haven't seen you naked." She set down his coffee and her tea, and opened the curtains in the room. "Now, get your skinny ass dressed. We are going down to the grounds. You need to get yourself focused on your ride this afternoon, and after that you can deal with the Bella issue."

Edward stood up and pointed to the coffee sitting on the table. Rosalie nodded. Edward picked it up. "Rose, I seriously doubt that today is going to go very well regardless of how much you try to prepare me all morning." He slipped on a pair of jeans. Regardless of how casual she was acting, he wasn't going to wander around in just his boxers. "I'm going to go down and see Bella before heading to the grounds."

"No!" Rosalie turned from the window. "Edward, give Bella some time to figure out that she loves you too much to let you leave without sorting stuff out."

He shook his head. "No, Rose, I'm not leaving this to chance. I don't care about winning the hundred thousand dollars anymore... not if it means I lose Bella."

Rosalie sat down on one of the chairs in the room. "Sit!" she ordered, pointing to the bed. "Listen, Edward, she doesn't want you to lose. She would hate herself if you gave up because of her. You and Bella need to figure out how to be successful as a couple while you are still successful on the field. If you let yourself lose, then you are giving up."

"Stop making sense. It's irritating," he said with a groan.

"I always make sense," she said with a grin. "Oh, and while I am here working on you, Alice is heading to Bella's so you don't need to worry. She'll fix everything. It's Alice. Now, shower...go."

Edward just shook his head. His family was going to drive him crazy. He slowly got off the bed and went toward the bathroom. He closed the door and turned the water on. He loved Rose for coming and trying to make things better, and he knew she was doing it for him, but it wasn't helping. He needed to see Bella, but he couldn't deny that he also needed to worry about the day's rodeo.

He needed to find a way to show Bella that he loved her more than the rodeo, but that it wouldn't pull him away from it. He knew she would never want him to give up his career, but he needed her to know that if it ever came down to it, he would put her first.

He stepped into the hot shower and quickly cleaned himself. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off, then wrapped it around his waist. He regretted not bringing any clothes with him. He was not looking forward to leaving the bathroom in a towel. He went out to grab the clothes he would need for the day and found Rose flipping channels on the television. She had been joined by her husband.

"Morning, Emmett," Edward said as he dug through his suitcase looking for another pair of jeans.

"Morning, baby brother," Emmett replied. "Hurry up, we need to get down to the grounds."

"It's not even eleven, there is lots of time," Edward replied as he headed back toward the bathroom to change.

"Well it is do or die today, so would it kill you to get ready early?" Emmett shot back. Edward went back into the washroom. Emmett turned to his wife. "You know, two weeks ago we were pissed at him for obsessing with rodeo and now we have to practically force him to go. He needs to find some kind of happy medium. Does he have to do everything to extremes?"

Rosalie patted her husband on the back. "You'd think after this many years, you'd get that your brother is complicated."

"He's like a freaking woman." His reply got him punched in the arm. "Yeah, I probably deserved that."

"You did," Edward called from the bathroom.

Alice was having a little less luck with Bella. She was continually pressing the intercom button, but Bella refused to answer.

"Bella!" she screamed. "Bella Swan, get your ass out of bed and buzz me in! I have coffee." She was getting strange looks from people passing by. "And doughnuts! I have doughnuts! Let me in, Bella!"

"What are you doing?" a voice asked from behind her. Alice whipped round and saw Bella standing there in a pair of jogging shorts, a tank, and running shoes.

"Bella! Why aren't you in your apartment?" Alice asked, sounding annoyed.

"I wanted to take a run. I knew that a Cullen would be buzzing my intercom this morning. I just figured it would be a taller one with bronze hair." Bella crossed her arms. She didn't sound impressed, but Alice was not swayed.

"Technically, I am no longer a Cullen; I'm a Whitlock," she said holding out one of the coffees.

"Alice, I know why you are here and I don't regret my decision," Bella replied, taking the coffee. She pointed to a bench near the building and the two sat down. "I won't let him lose because he is distracted by me. Alice, I can't watch him grow to hate me for it."

Alice threw her arms up in frustration. "Stop assuming that is what is going to happen. You two need to figure out how to be a couple and live in the real world. It'll take time."

Bella sighed and then took a sip of coffee to give her a minute to collect her thoughts. "Alice, I care for him too much to take that chance."

"He needs you." Alice sounded sincere. "I think you guys are great together and so do both of you. You need to allow there to be a chance to let it go somewhere. When I met Jasper, I couldn't think of anything else."

"Did you start losing every race?" Bella eyed her skeptically.

"No, but everything was different. Nothing in life was every going to be the same. My entire world felt like it had flipped upside down. That's not a bad thing, and yeah, it takes adjustments, but it's worth it."

"I don't know, Alice, there are so many what ifs. It's so early in the relationship that maybe it's not a good idea to try to make those adjustments and take things further." She stood up and threw her coffee out into a garbage can next to the bench, then sat back down.

"You are using time as an excuse. Time is irrelevant to feelings. It doesn't matter how long you've been together, how you both feel is what really matters. Some people fall in love the moment they meet. For others it takes years."

"Well, maybe I don't know how I feel about Edward. Maybe I don't know how far we are going to go. So maybe I don't want to mess up both our lives before we figure out what we really want." She stood up again. This time she headed toward the door to the apartment building.

"Bella," Alice said as she got up to follow, "stop lying to yourself and come to the rodeo today."

"No, Alice, I don't think that is a good idea." She opened the door to the building. "I'll see you sometime, okay."

Before Alice could try to convince her otherwise, she stepped into the building and headed toward the elevator. She managed to stay calm until she was in the elevator. Tears stung her eyes. She hated blowing Alice off. She didn't deserve that. Bella also couldn't help but hate that Alice sounded right. Losing Edward would break Bella, it already had, but she still believed that they needed to sort their lives out before jumping into things. She truly believed that for right now, staying away from Edward was best for him, even if it broke them.

She got up to her apartment and tried to figure out what she wanted to do for the day. It was the second to last day of the Stampede. A big part of her wanted to avoid it, but another part of her wanted to go to escape her life for a few hours. Wandering the grounds could do that. She made her decision and quickly got dressed for the grounds.

Edward sat behind the infield seats and was getting ready for the afternoon rodeo. He had a few hours to kill before his turn would come up. There were more competitors on wild card Saturday. He was a mess. He knew that his focus was gone. He was not going to make it into the Sunday final.

As the opening ceremonies began, and the competitors got ready to go out for O'Canada, he stopped. He realised something important. He truly didn't care. Ten days ago, if he told himself that he wouldn't care about not making the Finals, he would have laughed. Now, all he wanted was to find Bella. He wasn't complete without her anymore. Nothing seemed to have any meaning without her there. He needed to make her understand that.

The guys around him began to run out into the field. He felt a few bump him as they ran by, but he stayed put. When the rest of them ran out to the field, he turned and ran the opposite direction.

He passed his parents who looked stunned for a second, but he caught the smile on his mother's face. He ran out of the grandstand and out into the park.

He knew where he needed to go.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 –

Bella sat silently, watching the world around her move as it always did. She watched teenagers line up for what seemed like hours for the different rides. She watched young children with blue faces from the cotton candy they devoured. She watched families smile and laugh together. Mostly though, she watched the Calgary Stampede in a completely new way.

She sat in her favourite spot, on the grass behind the Midway, but nothing felt right. The Calgary Stampede had lost its charm for her because all she could think of was two beautiful green eyes, some messy bronze hair, and a pair of well-worn boots. She watched the teenagers in lines and remembered seeing the Cullen family on the Ferris Wheel. She looked at the blue-faced children and thought of nothing except the many types of midway food she had shared with Edward. She envied the smiling families because she wanted desperately to find happiness in both the Stampede and her life.

Happiness.

Was it truly that difficult to achieve? Why did so many others get to be happy and not her? Why was any semblance of happiness in her life unfairly ripped away?

Bella stopped and realised something important. Edward had not been ripped away from her; she had pushed him. She had dug this hole that she was stuck in. He had begged her to come back and work it out, but she had walked away. Bella was mad, but not at life, for once. She was mad at herself. She was allowing herself to slip back into the dark world that had consumed her for so long. She knew what kind of person she was when she went to that dark place and she was fully aware she was not the only person affected by it. Bella simply had to look at how her own mother put her life on hold whenever Bella called in order to see that. It would be selfish to sulk and be miserable, because this time Edward would probably suffer. Bella would go back to her dark world that she had been living in for so long, but was she condemning Edward to this too?

She needed help. She needed her mom.

Bella pulled out her cell phone and dialed her mother. Renee answered on the second ring.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Renee called into the phone.

"Hey, Mom." Bella tried to sound at least partially in control of her emotions, but Renee saw through it immediately.

"What's wrong?" The worry in Renee's voice was evident.

Those words were all it took. Bella spilled the details of the entire last twenty-four hours to her mother. She finished with her talk with Alice that morning. She stood up and began to pace in the grass.

Renee was silent at first and Bella silently begged her to say something – anything.

"Bella, where are you right now?" Renee asked.

"On the Midway... watching people have fun."

She heard her mother take an exaggerated breath. "Well, you need to get your ass into that grandstand."

"What?" Bella stopped her pacing. She couldn't believe what her mother was saying. That was not what she expected.

"I am only going to say this once because I am your mother and I love you. Bella, you need to stop letting yourself be miserable. Stop pretending that you have no choice about anything that _happens _to you. Bad things happen. James' betrayal happened. Losing the baby happened. Those are things that we cannot change. It's the things we do in response to those things that matters." Her mother paused.

Bella could feel more tears stinging her eyes. She sat down in the grass again. She felt drained and she was pretty sure that she couldn't blame anyone but herself.

"This is going to hurt to hear, but Bella, most of the other things are of your own doing. You lost your teaching job unfairly, but you chose not to fight that. You were innocent of any wrongdoing at work, and the union would have sided with you. You also chose to stay at an office job that you hate instead of trying to do something you at least like to do. Now, you are choosing to walk away from someone that I know makes you happy. I didn't even have to meet him to know that you love him."

"Mom-" Bella began. The teardrops were beginning to fall and she bent her head down hoping no one around her would notice.

"No, let me finish," Renee cut her off. "He had a few bad rides, but instead of sticking it through when he was miserable about his performance... you ran. You say that you ran because he needed to focus on riding, but honestly, do you think he can focus on riding right now? You ran just as much for your own guilt. You feel bad that he is losing and you don't want to feel guilty." Renee sighed. "Sweetheart, you of all people should know that life isn't easy. For some reason though, you always sacrifice happiness for the path of least resistance when dealing with adversity. I have watched you do it for a long time, but I won't anymore. Bella, life is far too short to give up on finding happiness, even if it might mean fighting for that happiness."

Both women took a few deep breaths before either spoke.

"Bella, honey, say something."

"What if I don't find it? What if I can't find happiness with Edward? What if he can't find happiness?" Bella's voice was barely louder than a whisper. She was surprised Renee even heard it with all the background noise.

"Then that, my dear, is one of the times in which you can't change something that happens to you. You cannot force a relationship to work when it doesn't, but you shouldn't give up on it before you find out if it does." Renee took another deep breath. "Bella, I want you to be happy and I know that you cannot possibly be happy unless you get your ass into that grandstand. I am hanging up now. You have work to do."

Bella heard the telltale click on the line and the call ended. She looked up over the rides at the giant grandstand building. She was shocked to hear her own thoughts spoken from her mother's mouth. Her sadness was partially of her own making. Bella realised a second important thing then; she might be able to live with her own sadness, but hers and Edward's was too much.

She hurried out of the grassy area and onto the asphalt of the grounds. She weaved in and out of people who were enjoying the last weekend of the Stampede. When she finally reached the rush ticket line, she ran through the wooden queue, weaving back and forth until she reached the front.

"I need a standing for the rodeo please," Bella practically yelled at the girl behind the glass.

"Sorry, sold out," the girl replied. She pointed up to a sign that Bella clearly had not seen. "I have a few standing left for the evening show if you-"

"No, I do not need a ticket to the evening show. I need to get into the rodeo, like now!" Bella knew she sounded insane.

The girl behind the glass raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, no chance of that," the girl said, sounding irritated.

Bella growled in frustration, then took off toward the grandstand entrance. She reached the doors and silently hoped she could trick one of the young teenage employees. The teacher inside her cringed at the thought of taking advantage of a child.

She slowed when she reached the doors and casually opened the glass door. She walked in without meeting the gaze of the workers. She thought she might have made it until she heard a single word.

"Ticket?" the young man asked. He held up a scanner.

"I left it at my seat with my boyfriend. I'll go meet him and then show you my ticket," Bella replied casually, hoping she didn't give herself away.

"Did you get a re-entry stamp?" he asked her suspiciously.

"I did, but it washed off after I went to the washroom."

He raised an eyebrow. She knew she was not going to win this. "Then maybe you should call him and get him to bring you the ticket."

She thought for a second about calling Alice or Rose, or even Edward himself, but there wasn't time for that. Instead, she took one last look at the boy, and then raced into the building.

She pushed through a crowd of people at the refreshment stand and heard a voice behind her.

"Brunette, long hair, blue plaid shirt. Heading toward the south side of the stage." The voice belonged to a man in a blue denim shirt, with a black security vest on top.

"Shit!" she said to herself. She knew her best bet was to get outside into the crowds of people watching the rodeo. If she could get there, then she could blend in.

She made a sharp turn and headed toward the center entrance, not the south one. The man running after her got momentarily stopped when an elderly lady on a scooter drove right into his path. By some miracle, she made it outside and into the crowd. She stripped off her blue shirt and dropped it to the ground. It was one of her favourites, but the security was looking for blue plaid. There were thousands of people wearing blue plaid, but at least she wouldn't be. She also used an elastic band she had on her wrist to tie up her hair. She couldn't disguise the colour, but if she tied it up, no one would know how long it was.

The sound of the first event, the novice bareback riding, drowned out her deep breathing, and she took a minute to get prepared for the next step. When Bella felt like she was ready, she decided to attempt her second task – getting across to the infield side of the grandstand. There was always a security guard checking tickets and passes. No one was allowed across to the infield without one.

She saw a crowd heading that way and thought that maybe she could slip with them. As soon as they neared the guard though, they turned and headed to the left. They were not going to the infield at all. There wasn't much she could do. If she tried to sneak in, the entire security staff would know she was the same girl who just stormed the gates.

Bella stood motionless for a minute, trying to plan what could be done. "Oh, fuck it," she finally said to herself. She had already done it once, why not just do it again. Bella broke into a run and went right past the guard. He was following her almost instantly and on his radio calling for help.

She made it across to the infield side, but Bella came face to face with three more security people. She ran to the right and thought she just might make it to the family grandstand where she could find Edward's family.

She felt a strong hand grasp her arm, and she was almost immediately stopped in her tracks. She jerked forward, then turned around to face her captor. The security guard that held her was almost Emmett's height, but had none of his playful features. Bella couldn't help but think that she was done for.

Another guard was now on her other side, and they turned her and began to march her back to the main grandstand. Probably to where the security room was.

"Wait!" a voice called from behind them. Bella turned her head to see Esme standing there. The security guards turned around, forcing Bella to do the same. "What are you doing?" Esme had put on her most outraged voice possible.

"Ma'am, we are arresting this woman for breaking into the grandstand," the bigger of the men said calmly.

"Breaking in?" Esme was raising her voice. "The girlfriend of one of the competitors is 'breaking in' to the grandstand? Am I supposed to tell my son, who is getting prepared to ride a bucking horse that his girlfriend has been arrested?"

"Ma'am, she refused to show a ticket at the entrance, and then ran in. She did the same at the infield entrance." The giant was using a very calm voice, which was irritating Bella. She was anything but calm. "Without a ticket, she cannot be in the grandstand."

"Fine, but when my son gets bucked off because he is terribly worried about his detained girlfriend. I will make sure I know who is to answer for it..." She leaned in closer to the man's chest, reading a nametag, which was above her eye level. "Joshua."

Bella decided to play along, it might help. "I told the boy at the door that my boyfriend had my ticket. He refused to believe me and told me to call him for proof. I was not going to break Edward's focus in the middle of a competition." Bella played the innocent, caring, girlfriend well. Inside though, she was terrified. Terrified that things were irreparable with Edward and a little terrified of being arrested.

"She is sitting in the family grandstand with us. Now men, please unhand her before there is a scene." Esme waved her hands for emphasis. "It was obviously just a misunderstanding. No need for us to dwell on it. Or possibly call higher supervisors." Esme said the last part as a subtle threat. She figured these two did not want to answer to their supervisors for arresting a competitor's guest.

Bella felt the grip on her arm loosen. She stepped away from the two men and Esme pulled her into a hug. When the two security guards were gone, Esme burst out laughing.

"That was great! I think they truly were afraid I would call their supervisors." She looked delighted with herself.

"I really did sneak in though. The guy at the front didn't fall for my lies." Bella looked over at the grandstand. She whipped her head back to the chutes. "Where's Edward? I need to see him before he goes out there. I feel terrible!"

"He didn't find you?" Esme looked surprised.

"Find me where?"

"He ran out of here just before the anthem. I assumed he went to go find you," Esme explained.

Bella looked down at her watch. "What time was that?"

"Not even fifteen minutes ago," Esme replied. "Where would he go looking for you?"

"He probably went to her apartment." Alice appeared behind Esme. "He knew I went to see you this morning. He probably thinks you are still there."

Bella pulled out her cell phone. "I'll just call him."

"You can't," Alice held up a phone. "He gave it to me earlier. He never carries it during the rodeo. Usually Dad holds onto it, but today he asked me." Alice bit her lip, looking worried.

Bella turned. "I should go find him."

Esme grabbed Bella's arm. "Maybe he'll come back here, when he finds you aren't at home," Esme said hopefully.

"I doubt that," Alice began. She turned to Bella. "He wants to show you that you mean more to him than competing. He doesn't care if he loses, as long as he's got you standing beside him if he does. I'm sure that's what he is trying to do."

Bella smiled slightly. "Well I better go find him and tell him that I don't care if he loses, but he sure as hell needs to keep trying." She turned and began to run back toward the main grandstand and the exit.

"Bella, wait!" a voice called from behind her. Alice stood holding a ticket. "At least take the pass so that you don't almost get arrested again." She caught up to Bella and handed her the ticket.

"Thank you!" Bella gave her a quick hug then she hurried off again. She ran to the exit of the grounds, got a quick stamp on her hand, and ran for her apartment building. She was exhausted after about five minutes of running and needed to slow down. She was not used to running this much in one day. Her morning run had been her first in over a week, and she was a little winded.

When Bella reached the apartment building, she took a quick look around the front entrance. There was no sign of Edward. She wondered if another tenant had let him in and he was upstairs at her door. He probably assumed she wouldn't answer the pager anyway.

After pulling out her keys, Bella hurried to the elevator. One was broken, so there was a large crowd waiting. When it finally arrived, it seemed like there was someone getting off at every single floor. She silently cursed the three perfectly healthy men who only went up two floors. They could have easily taken the stairs. Things never seemed to go smoothly when she was in a hurry.

Finally, after a little elderly lady got off on the eleventh floor, the doors closed and then opened on the twelfth floor. Bella took a quick look down the hallway and saw no sign of Edward. She turned to get back on the elevator, but the doors had already closed.

It didn't take long for her to decide not to take the elevator back down. At the rate it was moving, she might get to the first floor in an hour. Before heading to the stairs though, Bella pulled out her phone. She dialed Alice's number. "Did he come back?" Bella asked as soon as Alice said hello.

"Not yet. No sign of him at the apartment either?" Alice asked.

"No, nothing." Bella said as she went to the doorway marked 'stairs.' "What part of the rodeo are they at?"

"They are doing the steer wrestling. He still has time, but the sooner he gets back here the better. He will forfeit if he isn't back in time for the bareback. Any idea where he might have gone? Is there anywhere special you guys went together, or maybe somewhere that he knows means a lot to you?"

Bella stopped. She felt like an idiot. She knew exactly where he would be, and she had been there only a short time ago. "I know where he is. I'll call you later. Text me if he goes back to the rodeo." Bella hung up the phone again and headed down the stairs.

She hurried down the twelve flights and was surprised that the usual feeling of dread that filled her when she entered the stairway was not there. She usually avoided it in order to forget the bad memories, but this time she didn't even think about it. All Bella could focus on was getting back to the grounds and back to Edward.

Bella seemed to have found her second wind, and she made it back to the grounds much faster. She showed her gate stamp to the girl at the front and then weaved in and out of the crowd to get back to the grassy area next to the Midway. She had told him that if he ever needed to find her, she'd be there.

When Bella reached the grassy area she looked around frantically for Edward. She didn't see him, and checked her phone. Alice had not texted her, so Bella assumed he was not back at the rodeo either.

Bella collapsed down into the grass. She had no idea where to look for him now. She pulled her knees up and rested her head on them.

A shadow appeared in front of her. "A few days ago I met this girl who told me if I ever wanted to find her that I should meet her on the Midway."

Bella smiled as the familiar southern drawl filled her ears. She looked up and saw the beautiful green eyes she'd been daydreaming about hours ago.

Edward had a grin on his face. He reached a hand down and she put her hand in his. He pulled hard and she crashed into his chest from the momentum. "You're late," he said as he bent his head down to give her a kiss.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 –

Bella felt content for the first time in the entire day. She belonged in Edward's arms. No matter how difficult life got, this made sense. This felt right.

When they broke the kiss, she bent in as close to Edward as she could. She took a deep breath and savoured the moment.

"I knew I'd find you here eventually," Edward said over the top of her head. "I've been waiting a little while, but I knew you'd come here."

Bella laughed. "I spent the morning here. After talking to Alice, this is the only place I wanted to be. I came down to the grounds to think, and all I could think about was you." She pulled back and looked up at his face. "I wanted you to know..."

"Wait," he cut her off, putting a finger to her lips. "Before you say anything, I need to make you understand something. Bella, I would rather get bucked off every single ride for the rest of my career than let this end." He moved his hand to cup her chin.

"I know that and..." She tried to cut him off.

He shook his head. "Shhh. Let me finish please?" She nodded. He stepped back and sat in the grass, pulling her down in between his legs. His arms wrapped around her from behind. He leaned in close to her ear. "I know you are worried about how short of time it has been and how much we both feel after that short time, but to me it doesn't matter. I am not the same guy standing in front of you today that drove into Calgary at the beginning of the month. Bella, I can't be him again, because he is who I was before you. No matter how much you try to protect me and my career, I am not that guy anymore. I am glad I am not him anymore. If I was, I wouldn't have you."

He held her tightly before continuing. "If moments like this - that I can hold you in my arms - are all I get for the rest of my life, then I will be perfectly happy. I don't want trophies or prize money, I want you. I know it scares you, but Bella, I love you."

Bella slipped out of his arms and turned herself around. She wanted to face him for what she had to say. "Are you finished now?" she asked with a smile.

He nodded and raised an eyebrow at her. That was not the response he was expecting.

She smiled. "I was trying to tell you that I understand. I was sitting here this morning and even the Stampede wasn't right anymore, because it wasn't with you. I am not the same girl you met in that restaurant either. The reason I wasn't here when you got here was because I had already figured that out and I was trying to find you in the grandstand. I went all the way to my apartment hoping to find you, but realised that you would have come here."

Edward slipped his legs to the ground and pulled her into his lap. His arms circled her, but he didn't break the eye contact this time.

"I kept telling myself that I was doing it for you and that it was easier to end it now than create heartbreak. I'm not good at being happy. I always feel like when I get happy, the ground comes out from under me and it falls apart. This time though, I realised I brought it on myself." Her hands went up to rest on his chest. "That wasn't even the deciding factor either. I figured I could deal with that unhappy place because I had done it for so long. What scared me the most was that you would be feeling the same way. I don't want to ever be the reason you are unhappy."

She leaned in and pressed her cheek against his chest and let him hold her. "I am so sorry Edward," she whispered. Seconds later she opened her eyes and quickly pulled back from him. "And I probably should have led with this, but I love you too." She stretched up and pulled him into a kiss that he happily returned.

After the kiss ended, she snuggled back up into his arms, but again she had another realization. She was up on her feet in seconds. "Oh my God! Edward! You have to ride in like...," she looked at her watch, "now! Get up."

Edward stood, but hardly looked rushed. "Bella, it's okay I don't..."

"I know. You are trying to show me that I am more important, and I love you for that, but you need to get back in that grandstand. Edward, yes you may have changed in the last ten days, but there is a big part of you that is still one hundred percent devoted to rodeo and I love that part of you. It will always be a huge part of who you are. So let's go!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the doors.

They went through the same doors in which she had stormed into earlier. She got an annoyed look from the boy she had tried to trick, but he let them through no problem when they flashed their badges.

When they got out to the field they were on the very last barrel racer, and the bareback was up next. "Edward, go!" Bella said as she gave him a light shove. She watched him hurry behind the chutes and she went to meet his family in the stands.

They were all there except Carlisle, who was behind the chutes hoping Edward would appear. When the group saw Bella, she could see their expressions change from worry to happiness instantly. She climbed up and found herself engulfed in a hug from Alice. "You found him!" she exclaimed and looked down at the field. "And just in time too."

"I know. Turns out, he knows me better than I thought. He never went to my apartment. He knew that I would be on the grounds. Could have saved me a lot of stress if I had just stayed put in the grass." Bella sat down in between Alice and Esme.

Esme put a hand on Bella's shoulder. "Is everything okay now, sweetheart?"

"I think so. Well, we still have a ton to figure out, and it won't be easy, but I think we'll be okay." Bella smiled. She figured the uncertainty was just a part of who she was and she'd likely have to deal with it for a while. It didn't matter though. Edward seemed so sure of it and she could feed off that. For the first time though she realised that the details didn't matter. They'd get through it because they wouldn't have it any other way.

Bella watched in anticipation as the first bareback rider came out for the day. He had a successful ride and scored fairly well. Edward was up second. He was in the process of preparing inside the chutes with Carlisle at his side. He got himself situated and nodded to the man in charge who then signaled to have the gate opened.

When it opened, Bella felt like she couldn't breathe. It felt like the longest eight seconds of her life, but when the horn went and the ride was over, she took a breath and realised that he had just done a very good ride.

The score was high enough to put him in first place, but there were still several riders left to go.

Each time a new rider went out onto the field Bella held her breath. She watched as most of them had fairly well scoring rides. Edward still stood in first place for the day when the last rider was getting ready. It didn't matter to Bella, because she knew the top two went into the Final the following day. He was in! He did it! The group watched quietly as the last rider went, but when he scored a second place score they let themselves get up and cheer and hug.

Bella hugged the various members of Edward's family. She knew how much is meant to them all. Esme was in tears she was so happy. All three of her children were in the Finals; she glowed with pride. Bella allowed herself get absorbed up in it all for a few minutes, but as the group settled down and sat to watch the bull riding, Bella slipped away.

She went over around to the doors leading to the chutes. She didn't wait long before Edward appeared with his father. His face brightened even more when he saw her and he opened his arms as she jumped into them. He spun her around and kissed her.

"I am so happy for you! Edward, you did it!" Bella squeezed him in a hug after he set her down. "You were amazing!"

Edward grinned. "It helps that I have an amazing girlfriend." He turned to his father. "And family of course." Carlisle just chuckled and continued walking to meet up with the rest of the family.

Edward turned his attention back to Bella and gave her another kiss. "All I could think about after that horn was how I wanted you back in my arms. This has been a practically perfect day, you know that?"

"Practically. It didn't start out great though. I had to run around downtown Calgary for half the afternoon looking for you," she joked. "But I'd do it again in a heartbeat, I promise."

Edward kissed her forehead. "God, I love you. This just feels..."

"Right?" Bella finished.

"Exactly. I'm not sure how this moment could get any better."

As if on cue, Alice hurried over to the two of them. "Guys! This reunion thing is great and all, but Rose's water just broke!"

Edward and Bella pulled apart instantly, and the group was heading to the back parking lot where all the vehicles were parked.

Emmett and Rosalie went with Carlisle and Esme in one truck while Edward, Bella, Jasper and Alice crammed in the other. Bella could see some worry in the faces of the others. They were all thinking the same thing, that it was very early. She had a little less than two months left until her due date, and there could be complications. Birth at seven months wasn't always overly dangerous, but the baby would be small.

When they arrived at the hospital Edward parked his truck, badly, in the hospital lot and hurried in. When they reached the waiting room they watched as Emmett and Rosalie were heading down the hall. Carlisle and Esme stood in the middle of the room.

Alice went up and put an arm around her mother. "They'll be fine. She's Rosalie, and that baby is a Cullen. They come from good stock. They will be alright." Esme smiled at her daughter's words, but she was beginning to tear up.

A few minutes later, Jasper had succeeded in calming everyone down and they sat down to wait.

Every twenty minutes or so, one of them would need to get up and do something to pass the time, whether it was get a drink, use the washroom, or simply walk. Edward sat quietly holding his phone, intently looking at something. After two hours, Bella decided she needed to move. She wandered down the hall and couldn't help but think back to the time she had spent in this unit of the hospital. She silently hoped that Rosalie did not have to go through what she had herself.

As she walked by the hallway window in front of the new babies she smiled. That was where Edward caught up to her. He put an arm around her shoulder. "How are you doing, baby?"

"I'm okay. I just really hope that in a few hours there will be another little baby in here safe and sound." She leaned back into Edward's chest.

"She'll be fine. Rose is tough as nails and she's pretty far along. Mom said that the doctors didn't seem too worried when they brought her in. She's thirty-three weeks, so there is a good chance that there won't be long term issues. It's also possible that they will be able to keep the baby inside her for a little while longer with the right medication and bed rest." Edward kissed the top of her head. She could tell he had been reading up on preterm labor as much as he could over the last while.

"It will be okay. It's a good hospital," Bella replied. She didn't really know how good this hospital was in comparison to any other hospital, but it felt like a good thing to say.

"Let's go back and sit down. See if there is any news." Edward stepped back and took Bella's hand. They headed back to the waiting room to sit with the rest of the family. Edward couldn't help but think that it had been one of the most unexpected days of his life. Everything that happened since he went to bed the night before seemed like it had happened over several weeks, not several hours. He was completely drained and felt more than a little guilty about raving about how perfect the day had been.

When they arrived back to the waiting room that the rest of the family sat in, they did not have much longer to wait. A half hour later Emmett came out to greet them. He looked more than a little exhausted, but he didn't look particularly happy or sad.

Everyone stood. Carlisle put a hand on his son's shoulder as they all gathered around Emmett. They were all silent.

"They're both okay," Emmett finally said. The entire group let out a sigh of relief. It was good news. "Rose is fine, she did great, but the baby – our son – he's so small. I've never seen a baby so small. The doctors say he is going to need help breathing for a while, but that he's doing good." Emmett finally smiled. He clearly was stressed, but hopeful.

Esme pulled him into a hug. "He'll be fine, Emmett. He's a Cullen, so he's strong, and we are all here for him." She had tears in her eyes, but she was smiling.

The group took turns congratulating and reassuring Emmett that everything would be okay. Soon after though, he went back to be with Rosalie. They would get to see her and the baby in a little while. The rest of the family sat back down.

Bella took the seat next to Edward and he wrapped her in his arms. He rested his chin on the top of her head and held her. None of them spoke.

When they were allowed into the room to see Rose, she seemed to be doing fine. Each of them hugged her and worked hard to make sure she felt comfortable. A short while later, a nurse came in and asked if they wanted to go down to Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit to see the baby. Emmett pushed Rosalie down in a wheelchair. She protested, saying she was fine, but Emmett insisted. He whispered something in her ear for only her to hear and she agreed.

When they arrived, the new parents went in first. They had only seen their son for a few seconds before he was taken to the NICU and deserved some time with him. As soon as they were allowed, the family was able to go in and see them. They went two at a time to avoid crowding the unit. Carlisle and Esme went in first. When they returned Esme was crying again.

"He's so beautiful. So tiny, but absolutely beautiful," Esme said about her new grandson. Edward put an arm around his mother.

Alice and Jasper went in next.

Edward knew it was their turn next. Esme and Carlisle had stepped out to make some phone calls, so Edward turned to Bella. He could tell she had a million thoughts racing through her mind.

Bella saw his questioning expression. "Are you sure I should be here? This is a really personal family thing. I don't want to intrude," she said quietly.

Edward smiled. "Bella, I want you here. With you here I feel better. Your support means everything to me right now. Besides, Rose and Emmett adore you. Like it or not, you are part of this family now. However, and I'm not trying to make any assumptions, but I know this can't be easy for you, and if you don't want to..."

"Edward, I'm okay. No, it isn't the easiest place for me to be, but it isn't about me today. Today, I am here for Rosalie and Emmett and for you." She put her hand over his heart and he bent down to kiss her.

When Alice and Jasper returned, Edward took Bella's hand and squeezed. They went inside to see the newest Cullen.

Rosalie sat in her chair next to one of the incubators in the room. Emmett stood on the other side of it. The tiny child inside had several tubes and wires attached to him and it broke Bella's and Edward's hearts a little. Bella smiled at the baby, then turned to his parents. "He's absolutely beautiful," she said with a smile to Rosalie.

"Yeah, you two did good," Edward added. "Have you decided on a name?" He knew they had been struggling to find something they both liked.

"We chose Aiden," Rosalie replied. "It means little fire. It seemed fitting."

Edward looked down at his nephew. "Hi there, Aiden. Welcome to the world," he whispered.

"His full name is going to be Aiden Edward Cullen," Rosalie added.

Edward's head shot to his sister-in-law, then to his brother. His mouth was wide open. He was shocked.

"We want you to be his godfather," Emmett said as he came up and stood beside Rosalie.

Edward was still shocked, he opened and closed his mouth a few times but couldn't find the words. "I...uh...yes...yes, of course," he finally was able to say. "Sorry, I just was not expecting that. Sorry, and I'm honoured."

Rosalie eyed him. "You thought we'd pick Alice and Jasper?" she asked knowingly.

"Uh, yeah, I did," Edward replied honestly.

Emmett stepped forward and gave Edward a hug. "You know, everyone else knew we'd picked you before we even told them. You are the only one who is surprised. Baby Brother, there is no one I would trust more with my son than you."

Soon after, a nurse came by and said it was time for the guests to leave. Generally the NICU was very limiting on guests and Calgary had fairly strict rules about visitors for new babies. The family, minus Emmett, decided to head back to the hotel and get some rest. It was still early, but the stress of the entire day was draining, and regardless of everything, there was still a rodeo the next day.

They arrived back at the hotel and headed straight up to their rooms. Bella noticed how Edward had been very quiet since they left the hospital. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Edward sat down on the bed and let himself fall backward. "I still just can't believe it. It's been quite a day and I had no idea why they wanted me to be godfather. Alice and Jasper makes more sense, right?" He lifted his head to meet Bella's gaze.

She looked surprised. She sat down next to him and pulled his arm to get him to sit up. She put her hands on his cheeks and made him look at her. "Edward Cullen, you are the most amazing person I have ever met. You're fiercely loyal to those that you care about. You would do anything for your family. You're strong, and determined. You know what you want and would move mountains to get it. You are a wonderful guy and anyone would be lucky to have you in their life. Rosalie and Emmett know and love all these things about you. They know it makes complete sense to make you their son's godfather." She dropped her hands.

He then reached up, ran his hand across her face, and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You make me sound like a saint; like I'm perfect or something."

Bella smiled. "No, I just find it easy to recognise all the great things about you because they are the reasons I fell in love with you."

She lifted herself up and kissed him. He pulled her closer and the two fell back onto the bed together.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22 –

When Edward awoke the next morning, he got up quickly. It was a big day. He needed to get ready for the ride, but he also wanted to check in on Rose, Emmett, and his new godson. Bella still slept next to him and he decided to let her sleep for a little while longer.

Edward dressed and headed down to get some coffee for him and Bella. Before he went into the coffee shop, he called Emmett, but got voicemail. He left a message asking his brother to call him, then continued on his quest for coffee.

He ran into his sister and her husband down at the cafe.

"Good morning," he said as he walked by.

"Morning," they replied in unison.

Edward ordered coffee and bagels, then headed over to Alice and Jasper while he waited.

"Any word from Rose or Emmett?" he asked.

"Mom talked to them," Alice answered. "She is going to go down and stay with Rosalie while the rodeo is on. Emmett said he was going to skip it, but apparently Rosalie told him to 'get his ass to that rodeo and win his new son a hundred grand.'"

Edward grinned. That sounded just like his sister-in-law. "Good for her. He's probably driving her nuts by now anyway," he joked. "Hopefully they can watch it on TV. I'm sure she hates that she's missing it." He headed over to the counter to grab his coffees.

"See you later, Edward," Alice called as he headed out. "Say good morning to Bella for me."

Edward gave her a thumbs up as he walked away, making Alice laugh and shake her head.

On the way to the elevator, his phone rang. It was Emmett calling him back.

"How's my nephew doing?" Edward asked happily.

"He's doing good, Rose too. She is already sick of the hospital, but it won't be long until she can get released," Emmett replied.

Edward reached the elevator and pressed the button. "What about Aiden? How long will he be in there?"

"A few weeks probably. His lungs are still pretty weak and he still needs help breathing, but the doctor today said he looks healthy and shouldn't have major long term issues because of his early arrival."

Edward smiled as the elevator door opened. "Dude, that's great news. I'm so happy for you guys."

"Yeah, it's a big relief. Rosalie cried, and she's tough as nails. I even had a few tears in my eyes." Edward smiled. He couldn't imagine how relieved they felt when they got that news. He was truly happy for them.

"So, are you guys going to stay here for a while?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, there is nothing super important that we need to get back to Texas for. Right now the most important thing is him getting bigger and stronger. After he isn't in intensive care anymore, we'll bring him home." Clearly, he and Rosalie had discussed it, but Edward could tell there wasn't much of a decision to make.

"Yeah, that makes the most sense," Edward replied.

"Listen, I'd better go, we're going down to NICU for a bit, I'll see you later at the grounds."

"For sure, see you in a bit."

"Bye."

"Bye." Edward closed his phone just as the elevator reached his floor.

When Edward made it back to the room, Bella was already in the shower. He considered joining her, but he opted to eat his breakfast because he wasn't sure how long she had been in there. The water turned off a few minutes later, so he didn't regret his decision to eat the still-warm bagel.

When Bella emerged, she was wrapped in a towel. She grinned at the prospect of breakfast and without saying anything, she sat down and began to eat. Edward took note of how comfortable it felt. They just fit into a nice morning routine.

Edward finished his bagel, filled Bella in on the plan for the day, and the little news he had on Rose and Emmett, then it was his turn to shower. When he came back out, Bella was in her clothes from the day before and ready to head over to her apartment. He dressed quickly and they set out.

They walked hand in hand, but didn't say much. When they reached the apartment, Edward sat on the couch while Bella got ready. "So I was thinking," he called to her through the open door to the bedroom.

"Yeah?" She poked her head out.

He smiled from the couch. "I know Rose and Emmett are going to stay for a bit. Aiden will need help breathing for a while, and it would be better to keep him here instead of moving him back to Texas. There's no point in putting him at risk just so they can go home. I was thinking, that maybe I'd stay with them."

Bella slipped a t-shirt over her head and came out to sit next to him. "How much would you be missing?"

"We were going to head back to Texas and do a few rodeos closer to home, small purses, but it could mean better standings for the finals. But family is a big deal. We don't need the money, and there are still lots of opportunities to stay up in the ranks on the circuit." He put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Carlisle and Esme will go back because they've got the breeding program going on. They've got great help for the business, but Carlisle likes to be very involved. He rarely leaves for longer than a couple weeks."

"What about Alice and Jasper?"

Edward thought about it for a second. "They'll probably head on to wherever is next. If Rose or Emmett asks them to stay then they will, but Alice has Zhara and she's spent a lot of time in the stables lately. She needs open fields." Edward kissed the top of Bella's head. "Besides, I have two really great reasons to stay here: my little nephew and my beautiful girlfriend. I think a few days for us to sort through what's next is good. The Stampede has made that next to impossible for us and a few days rodeo-free will help."

Bella smiled and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "Okay, but on one condition. The three of you should stay here until you need to go and Aiden can go home."

Edward opened his mouth to protest, she knew he was going to tell her that the hotel was fine. She put a hand to his lips.

"The hotel is gorgeous, and I know you could stay there, but I've got the spare room, and the mattress really isn't bad. Here we have an actual kitchen, so you won't need to go out every day for food. Besides, regardless of how much money you might have, there is no need to pay hundreds of dollars a night for a hotel that you don't need."

Edward sighed. "I'll talk to Rose and Emmett."

"No, I will, because you will do it in some tone that suggests you don't think you should. It'll be a half-hearted effort. I will actually convince them to do it, because I actually want you all to stay here. After everything your family has done for me over the last week and a half, I want to do this for you guys." She stood up and headed to finish getting ready. Edward could tell that the discussion was clearly over.

An hour later they were making their way back to the hotel to meet the family and head down to the grounds. Edward told the group what he had heard from Emmett earlier, and they were all equally happy with the news, and understood that they would be staying in Calgary.

Edward didn't mention that he'd be staying too, but he was pretty sure they already knew it.

Bella came back behind the grandstand to stay with the family before the rodeo began. She was excited, but the events of the last twenty-four hours had really put things in perspective.

Bella finally seemed to understand the Cullen relationship with rodeo. Rodeo was important, but would always be second to family, and she considered herself in that inner circle now. She didn't consider herself a member of the family, of course, but she knew she ranked up there for Edward.

It was why she didn't protest more about Edward staying in Calgary. He wasn't really needed in Calgary, Aiden had top notch care in the hospital, and in the hands of his parents, but it also made sense for Edward to be there too.

When it was time for the rodeo to start, Bella stayed with Edward. They were in for a long afternoon and she wanted to stay with him as much as possible. It didn't matter so much to her to actually watch the rodeo, but it was important for her to be there for him.

The final day of the Stampede Rodeo was an extended day, the top ten competitors did a first round of competition with a clean slate. The last week didn't matter anymore, all that mattered was what happened that afternoon.

After the final ten competed, the resulting top four would be finalists and would compete one more time. The top competitor of those four wins $100,000 in prize money, second place wins $25,000, third place wins $15,000, and fourth wins $10,000. The final day of the rodeo always promised to be exciting and Bella couldn't wait. She was seriously invested in the results of that afternoon. In the past it had always been just people competing; today it was much more than that.

The afternoon began smoothly, with Jasper and Emmett making the Finals. Before the first round of barrel racing, however, the rain started. Alice was up second in the racing. The girl before her had slipped and nearly injured her horse. Bella stood with Emmett and Edward, and she could tell they were worried, so she worried too.

When Alice took off on Zhara. Bella found herself holding her breath. Alice rounded the first barrel with no problem, and the second flawlessly. She reached the final one and Bella resisted the urge to close her eyes. She had nothing to worry about because Alice and Zhara rounded it perfectly fine as well. She raced back and seemed satisfied with her time.

The rest of the riders took their turns and when they were on the last rider, Alice sat in fourth place. Bella silently prayed that the last girl was slower than her. Alice and Jasper stood just beside the field waiting to see the results. When the results came in and Alice saw that she made the finals she jumped into Jasper's arms and the crowd cheered as they watched on the big screen. Bella and Edward just laughed.

Next, it was Edward's turn to get ready for his ride. He knew the ground was slick, and sometimes that meant the horse could slip, but he wasn't going to let that screw with his focus. He was second last to ride, so he would know what he would need to make it to the finals.

When it was his turn, he climbed up on the horse and got himself situated. When he was ready he nodded, and the chute opened. The ride went well, he was in the right position, the horse jumped high, and he was able to get his legs moving right. The horn went, and he got his hand out of the rigging and got off the animal. He walked toward the gates where Carlisle stood. The scores came up and he saw that he was sitting in second place. He pumped a fist in the air. He was guaranteed a spot in the Finals.

When he got back behind the chutes again he saw Bella and started toward her, but he was jumped from behind by his brother and brother-in-law. They congratulated him while Bella stood aside and laughed. She was happy for the entire Cullen family. It was a good day so far.

Before the second half of the rodeo began, the men in the riding events needed to do a draw for the stock they would be riding. Jasper and Edward got in their place in line and headed to the stage. Edward looked out into the crowd. It was still packed, despite the rain, and the stands looked funny with people in ponchos of all colors.

They each took their turn and reached into a bag to pick the animal they would be riding. Edward picked one that he had never ridden before, but that had scored some high points earlier in the week with other riders. Jasper drew a horse that had thrown three riders that week. He grinned. If anyone could ride it, Jasper could.

Jasper was up last in the group of saddle bronc riders. One was thrown from the horse, and the other two scored fairly good scores. It was Jasper's turn. Alice and Edward sat on the chutes at the side of the field watching. Bella wasn't allowed this close and Emmett was on the phone to Rosalie.

When Jasper nodded, the chutes opened and the horse took off. Edward held his sister's hand and she gripped him back in a death grip for the entire eight seconds. When the buzzer went off, Jasper jumped off the horse and looked up for the score. It had been a great ride and Edward was pretty sure he had it in the bag, but didn't want to say anything and jinx him.

The score came up. Not only had he won the event, but he had tied with the all-time highest record for saddle bronc riding with a 94.5. Alice cheered and hugged Edward, while Jasper threw his hat in excitement. When he saw Alice he ran over to her and again the crowd cheered as the two embraced on the screen. Afterward, Edward hugged his brother-in-law.

Jasper had to run out to the stage to receive his prize, as he did, the rest of the family got ready to watch Emmett in the steer wrestling.

Emmett was first out of the gate for the steer wrestling and he was able to put down a pretty good time. He didn't seem too worried about what happened and no one could blame him. His mind was clearly elsewhere.

It turned out that his score was good enough for first place after two of the other three lost their steer, and the third put down a score that was two-tenths of a second longer than Emmett's.

He ran across the muddy field to the stage to get his cheque. "So, Emmett, got big plans for the money?" The announcer asked him in his interview.

"College fund," Emmett replied with a nod.

"That's right! Your beautiful wife is ready to have your first child, isn't she? Is she here today out in this lovely weather?" he asked looking up at the grey rain clouds that were not relenting.

Emmett grinned from ear to ear. "Nope, she is about twenty minutes away at the hospital with our new son."

The announcer had not been expecting it, but recovered with a big congratulations. The crowd cheered as well, and Emmett was able to leave the stage to call Rosalie. He wanted desperately to leave, but the winners all did a final presentation at the very end of the rodeo. He wasn't getting back to the hospital until the very end.

When it was time for the barrel racing, Alice was surprisingly calm. She was so very happy for her husband and brother, that it seemed almost as if she didn't care what happened in her own race. She was up last of all the racers and she watched as the other three placed fairly good times.

For the barrel racing, Edward stayed under the shelter behind the grandstand with Bella. He was attempting to get comfortable before his ride. The rain was a typical Alberta rain. When it rained on the prairies, it was a cold rain. He was used to a warm rain. The two watched quietly as Alice prepared for her ride. She quickly took off and began her race. She rounded the three barrels with ease and headed back toward the finish line.

"Come on, Alice, come on," Bella said quietly under her breath. She crossed the line and everyone looked to the clock. "Yes!" Bella screamed as she jumped up in the air. Alice had also won.

When she went up for her interview the announcer made a few jokes about what Esme and Carlisle were doing with their family in Texas. Alice just smiled and replied with a comment about how great her entire family was and how happy she was that she could also claim the distinction of being Calgary Stampede Champion.

Finally, it was Edward's turn. Bella gave him a quick kiss as he headed to the chutes. Bella met up with Alice and they watched from behind the chutes.

The guys in the announcer booth were talking about the success of the Cullen family and made a point of saying that now Edward was the only member of the Cullen family that had _not_ won the Stampede. Edward chuckled. "Thanks for the jinx guys," he said, shaking his head.

Carlisle told him to ignore it and focus on his ride. Edward nodded to his father, and got himself ready to go. He was also last in his group to go, so he knew what he needed to win.

He nodded, and the gates opened. The ride began and the horse was jumping extremely well, very high, and Edward was having an exceptional ride. He felt the horse jump and rear far back on his legs, but on the muddy field his feet slipped and instead of going back down forward, the horse slipped and fell back, landing partially on Edward.

He struggled to get his wrist out of the rigging before the horse stood back up, or he would be dragged behind it. He got it out just as the horse got back up and the momentum sent him falling backward into the mud again.

He worried momentarily for the horse, those kinds of falls could seriously injure an animal, but it seemed to be running without issue. He saw Carlisle running out toward him. He stood up. "I'm okay," he called to his father. "Fuck, that was close though."

Carlisle reached him. "Too close! It looked like he landed on you. You sure you're okay?"

"Yep," Edward began to walk back toward the chutes. He was a little stiff, and knew he would feel it the next day, but he knew it was nothing serious. "Guess I've gotten another no score. Awful fucking week," he complained.

"Actually, if you are up to it, you've got a re-ride," Emmett said, as they reached the rest of the family. Emmett, Alice, and Jasper had come out to the field – they were allowed as competitors.

"I'll take it," he replied without hesitation.

"Are you sure, Edward? That looked bad," Alice asked with a worried voice. He didn't reply, he was focused on a teary-eyed brunette standing back behind the chutes.

He quickly climbed over as Bella hurried over and tried to hug him. He held her at arm's length. "Babe, I'm covered in mud. You don't want to hug me right now."

"The hell I don't," Bella replied, and pushed in between his arms and let him hold her. "That was horrible."

"I'm fine, the horse is fine, and I still have a chance to win this. It's fine," he said over the top of her head.

Bella pulled back to look at his face. "You're riding again?" She had a worried expression on her face.

"Of course I am! Bella, baby, look at me, if I wasn't okay I wouldn't ride. I promise you that. I'm fine." Bella just nodded. She was trying not to be an overprotective girlfriend, but it was a little difficult. "I'm going to need you to let go now, Bella, I have to go ride again."

"Okay. Be safe."

He kissed the top of her head. "I will, I promise."

Edward headed over to a chute farther down, where he was to get on another horse. Bella met up with Alice, who suggested they go watch from the other side of the field over by the stage. Bella agreed and they headed over there.

To Bella, it seemed like only seconds and Edward was back in the chutes and ready to ride again. The horse he was on this time was the one from which he had taken a no-score earlier in the week. Bella hoped that the outcome this time would be different.

Edward was ready soon after. Bella watched as they opened the gates for the ride. The horse came out on fire. It was bucking and jumping quickly, and very big. Edward stayed in the right position and moved his feet at all the right times. When the buzzer went off, he was happy with his ride. Win or lose, he had done everything he could under the circumstances.

He looked up at the scoreboard and almost couldn't believe it. He had won! He was finally a Calgary Stampede Champion. He threw his hat out in front of him and let out a huge cheer. He looked to the chutes and saw his father standing there. He pointed to him and then put a hand over his heart. He knew his dad would understand how much he wanted to share this with him.

The announcer called him to make his way to the stage and he began to jog across the mud. Before he got there, he felt the presence of someone behind him. He glanced and saw Emmett and Jasper coming up behind him. He tired to hurry and get away, but he wasn't able to. The two guys jumped and tackled him into the mud. The crowd in the stands cheered even louder.

"Congrats, Baby Brother. Fuck! That was awesome!" Emmett said, as they lay in the mud.

"He's right, good ride!" Jasper added.

Edward slowly got up, he could already feel himself getting a little more stiff. The tackle wasn't going to help matters either. He made his way over to the stage when he spotted Alice and Bella. He had no idea why they had watched from that side of the field, but he was glad. He hurried over to them and pulled Bella into his arms and kissed her. She squealed a bit as he covered her face with mud.

"You said you didn't care about the mud, remember?" he joked.

"I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! Go get your cheque!" Bella said, as she tried to wipe the mud off of her. All she managed to do was smear it more.

Alice was laughing extremely hard at both Bella and Edward.

Edward glanced at his sister, then turned to Jasper. "Jasper, your wife looks rather clean doesn't she?"

Jasper grinned. "Yes, she does!"

"Don't you dare!" Alice replied.

Jasper ignored her and hurried to the fence and hopped over. Soon she was engulfed in a hug and covered in the mud herself.

Edward laughed, then finally headed up to receive his cheque. The announcer said a lot of great things about the entire family and Edward happily agreed. He thanked his parents, and family, and then said a thanks to Bella. She stood quietly at the side of the stage, covered in mud, and never happier.

After the bull riding, all the winners returned to the stage and the Calgary Stampede Rodeo was officially over.

When that was finished, Edward, Alice, Jasper, and Emmett came down to where Bella stood. A photographer took a picture of the five of them covered in mud, and smiling from ear to ear. When he was finished, Edward asked the photographer if he could get a copy of it when it was developed. After that, he turned to Bella.

"Hello, beautiful!" he said with a huge grin.

"So how does it feel, Mr. Calgary Stampede Champion?" Bella asked.

"It feels pretty good," he replied as he put his hands on either of her hips.

Bella raised an eyebrow. "Pretty good? Lifelong dream, and it feels pretty good?"

"Yep, but only because everything seems insignificant in comparison." Edward pulled her closer.

Bella grinned. "To what?"

"To having you tell me you love me." He bent down and kissed her. "Bella, you have no idea. I am just so happy today. Nothing could ruin it. I know we still have a ton to work out, but I know we can do it. I've never been this happy, and I refuse to let the person that did it get away." Edward knew she still worried about the future, but he would do everything to make it work.

"I'm right here," Bella replied, as she pulled him back down for another kiss. She belonged by his side and she was no longer afraid of what came next. "Whatever comes next we can do it...together."

Oblivious to the crowds of people hurrying around them, Edward pulled her tight against him and they stood there in the pouring rain. It was perfect.


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue –

"Come on, Aiden, let's go watch Mommy ride!" Bella lightly tugged on the hand of the now three year old.

"I go see buws!" Aiden protested.

Bella laughed. Already Aiden was completely immersed in the rodeo world. He seemed particularly drawn to the bulls though. It seemed like he would follow in his father's footsteps. He was a tall little boy, so it was unlikely he'd have the build for a bull rider, but that's probably where he would start out. This wasn't a surprise considering the family he came from.

Bella bent down to Aiden's level. "We are going to go finish watching the rodeo, then maybe after it is over, Uncle Edward will take you to go see the bulls. How does that sound, Little Buddy?"

Aiden eyed her for a minute. "Okay Bewwa," he finally replied, then hurried ahead of her to the family grandstand. He hurried up to the row where Alice and Esme were sitting. "Hi, Grammy, Hi, Auntie Awice!" he called, then sat in Esme's lap.

Alice ran her hands through her nephew's hair. "Did you have fun with Bella, bud?"

"Yep," he replied, then turned to the arena, not bothering to give them anymore than that.

Alice just laughed. She scooted over and Bella sat down next to her. Alice was not competing this year. She was pregnant with her and Jasper's first baby. She was about eight months along and the whole family had tried to talk her out of coming to Calgary for the Stampede this year. She was far too stubborn for that, so she came anyway.

"Mommy turn! Look!" Aiden stood up and pointed toward the area where Rosalie was set to race. She was the favorite to win this year. She, and then Alice, had won it the last two years. With Alice out, it was Rosalie's to lose.

It was the final day of the 2015 Calgary Stampede. Edward had pulled into the Final this year, as had Emmett, Jasper, and Rose. Emmett and Jasper had both gotten second place in their different events. The group watched as Rose not only took first place, but also managed to beat the current Stampede Record. Bella and Aiden stood and cheered for her.

Bella smiled as Emmett met his wife at the side of the arena and gave her a huge hug and kiss. Bella knew that this would be Rose's last Stampede for at least another year because they intended on having a second child.

As they cheered on Rose, Jasper came up to sit with the group. He sat down and affectionately put a hand on Alice's stomach. He kissed her on the cheek and wrapped his other arm around her. Aiden squeezed himself between Bella and the row in front of them and jumped into his Uncle Jasper's lap. Aiden adored his large family and loved to spend as much time as possible with his parents, grandparents, or uncles in the barns.

Bella assumed her babysitting duties were taken over for a little while. She decided to take a short walk. She wandered back toward the chutes, and realised that it was time for the bareback riding. She found a place along the fence to watch as Edward prepared for his ride. He was up first out of the four to ride for the hundred thousand dollars.

As she watched him get ready for the ride, Bella couldn't help but think about the past three years. Those weeks after the 2012 Stampede had been blissful. Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett stayed at her apartment as Aiden grew stronger in the hospital. Bella went back to work the Monday following the Stampede. Each night when she was off, Edward would meet her at her office and they would spend the evening together. Some days they'd go out to dinner, others they'd sit at the apartment or go to the park. It didn't matter what they did; they were simply enjoying their time together.

They spent a lot of time discussing the future. They decided that they next logical step was for Bella to move to Texas. Bella wasn't quite ready to leave that summer, so they planned for later that year. She turned down the job out on the reservation and made all the arrangements to get certified to teach in Texas.

When Aiden was healthy enough, Rosalie and Emmett decided it was time to take him home. Edward went with them and met the rest of his family on the rodeo circuit. Bella's move was scheduled for October. The months leading up to the move were the toughest they both had to endure. They spent countless hours on the phone together. Bella was exhausted nearly every day at work from staying up all night on the phone. The two quickly got very good at phone sex. As often as they could, the two would find time on the weekends to visit each other.

In September, Bella flew down to Texas and see where Edward lived. She instantly fell in love with Edward's hometown and all her apprehensions about the move were lightened.

The move itself went smoothly. Bella never regretted relocating to Texas. She rented a small house near the Cullen property, but Bella only lived there for a few months before moving in with Edward permanently. She worked as a substitute teacher for the rest of the school year, and the following September, she got a full time position teaching second grade.

Each summer though, they always made it up to Calgary for the Stampede. Edward hadn't won since the 2012 Stampede, but they loved the trip regardless. Calgary would always be Bella's hometown, and special to her, but Texas was quickly becoming home.

The past spring, Bella had begun to feel some of the telltale signs that she was expecting. She knew almost right away, having experienced it before, but she waited to tell Edward. She was sure he would be happy about it, but she wanted to make sure she was actually pregnant first. The week before they left for Calgary, she told Edward. He was ecstatic. Everything seemed to be falling into place. Bella was blissfully happy.

Bella was lost in her thoughts as the announcer announced Edward's ride. She quickly came out of it as soon as he was out of the gates. The eight seconds flew by and Edward had a phenomenal ride. Bella cheered, jumping up and down with excitement when his score came up. It would be hard to beat.

Edward spotted Bella after his ride and made his way over to her. He was supposed to wait at a certain spot behind the chutes, but he didn't really care. He climbed over the fence and stood with his arms around her watching the other three riders. The second and third were unable to reach Edward's score. He was guaranteed at least twenty-five thousand dollars.

"Twenty-five grand... that would make a nice down payment on a house for us," Edward whispered in her ear. The two were currently still living in the apartment on Carlisle and Esme's property. They had been talking about getting something of their own, but nothing had come of that just yet.

"A hundred grand would be better," Bella joked, leaning back into his arms. Edward just chuckled and kissed the top of her head.

They watched as the final rider went out. He reminded Edward of himself three years ago. He was up and coming and riding in his first Calgary Stampede. He had a very successful ride. It would be a close score to Edward's earlier one. With Bella and their unborn baby in his arms though, Edward didn't really care. Winning or losing had become less important over the last several years. His whole world revolved round Bella and he was excited for the next step in it all.

The score was up and Bella let out a cheer. Edward glanced to the screen and saw that he had won by a half a point. Bella turned in his arms and he lifted her for a kiss.

"You won!" she said as she pulled away. "Go, get up to that stage!" She nodded her head to the stage where he needed to collect his winnings.

Edward grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

Bella followed, and stood on the side of the stage as Edward went up.

He thanked the Stampede, and accepted his cheque. He then turned to the presenter to do his short interview. Edward said something quietly to the presenter before the interview began. They both smiled. "So, Edward, you did it again! How does it compare to the first win?" The announcer asked.

"Well, 2012 was hard to beat. That Stampede was a big one for me," Edward replied with a smile. "But today life is pretty perfect, so this is just icing on the cake." He glanced over at Bella and the presenter noticed it.

"That's right, 2012 is when you met that beautiful girlfriend of yours. A local girl in fact. Did you hear that, ladies?" he called to the crowd "You _can_ snare yourself a cowboy at the Calgary Stampede." The crowd laughed and cheered. He turned back to Edward. "Why don't we bring that beautiful little lady up here? Calgary, let's give a warm welcome to one of our own, the lovely Miss Isabella Swan."

Bella paused. She was not prepared to be brought up on stage. She glared at Edward who had a huge grin. She forced herself to move her feet. When she got up the ramp, she waved out to the crowd and said hi to the presenter. She moved close to Edward, feeling extremely awkward in front of so many people.

"So Miss Swan, how does it feel to see Edward win the Stampede again? This rodeo must be pretty special for you."

"It really is. I love coming back home for the Stampede." Bella tried to keep her voice steady, but she couldn't help but feel nervous with thousands of people watching her. "I grew up watching rodeos here, so seeing Edward win it is such an amazing thing. I have lots of memories here, and now we've got another great one."

Edward leaned closer to Bella and the microphone. "How about one more?" he asked Bella.

She turned to face him, not sure what he meant. He held one hand up in between the two of them. In that hand, Bella saw a ring- an engagement ring. Her mouth dropped open.

Edward got down on one knee. Bella could vaguely hear the crowd cheer, but all of her focus was on the man in front of her. "Bella Swan, in the last three years you have turned my whole world upside down and it has been the most amazing experience of my life. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me?"

Bella opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She had a million things she wished she could say back, but they all seemed to escape her. She simply nodded and finally whispered a yes.

Edward slipped the ring on her finger and stood up. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. The next few minutes were a blur for Bella. She could tell that Edward was finishing off his interview, but she had no idea what either of them said. She was in a daze. Not long after, Edward led her off the side of the stage.

She turned to her fiancé. "I cannot believe you just did that! Way to put me on the spot, Cullen!"

Edward reached for her hand and ring. "Well if you don't really want it." He pretended to try and pull it off.

Bella ripped her hand away. "Not a chance. That ring is staying right there, forever."

Edward pulled her back into his arms and held her tight. "Forever sounds just right. I love you, Bella Swan. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and our baby. This is just the beginning."

"I can't imagine a more perfect way to start the rest of our lives." Bella lifted up on her toes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Edward's hand snuck between them and rested on her stomach. "Me either," he whispered just before bending down to kiss her again.

As the curtain closed on another Calgary Stampede, it was very clear to both Edward and Bella that Calgary was a very special place. The city had played a huge role in both their lives and it always would.

THE END


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